The Greatest Love
by E.V. Oleander
Summary: Christine has come to an unknown country to marry a King that she does not know to protect her own country. The question is could she love a man that stands for everything she is against? AU
1. Chapter 1

The clouds darkened the already dark sky and the rain pelted the windows of the carriage. At least Mother Nature was kind enough to reflect the woman in the carriage's mood. She looked gloomily out the window. Her destination was not one of joy and pleasure, but of duty. Damned duty. The word hung over her like the clouds outside. It was her duty to make sure her beloved country of Liren was safe and therefore combine it with Borswan. 

She had to marry the king. The man was mysterious to her. She never saw him before. The only thing she had heard about him was that he wore a mask on the right side of his face. Nothing was ever said about him in her country, only that he would protect Liren in times of need and that time had fallen upon the country.

"Your Highness." She took the man's hand that was offered and step out of the carriage. An umbrella obstructed her view of the monstrous castle. One of the castle's doors was open and a faint lantern light that a dark figure was holding appeared. As she got closer she saw it was a woman standing there. She had a firm yet serene feel about her.

"Your majesty." The woman curtsied "I am Madame Giry, under the crown's service. Come. His Majesty would not want his bride sick."

"Where is his Majesty?" She went into the dimly lit castle.

"Sleeping along with everyone else." They went through the dark corridors. The only light that was visible was the one that this woman was holding. "I volunteered to wait for you, your Highness. The king arranged a meeting with you and the nobles tomorrow."

"I do not get to meet him alone?" Her eyes tired to memorize where she was going. "After all I am to marry the man. It only seems fair to speak with him, alone and freely."

"You can speak freely tomorrow."

"How long have you been in court, Madame?" She questioned.

"Fifty-one years." The woman answered and came to a halt at a door. "My whole life, your Highness."

"Then you know as well as I do," A small smile came to her lips. "You can never speak freely."

"Indeed." She was wiser than she looked. His Majesty would love that. Well perhaps not love, for the king loved only his daughter and his country, nothing else, but one more thing. He would find this girl useful. Madame Giry opened the door to a lavish bedroom. "This is your room. I hope you will enjoy it."

* * *

"Time to rise, your Highness." A voice filled her restless sleep. "You must look presentable for the nobles."

Christine sat up slowly and looked at the two girls that were slightly younger or the same age as she was. Both blond hair, one had green eyes the other had brown.

"And you two are?" She looked at them.

"We're your ladies." The one with green eyes said, "My name is Meg."

"And I am Sorielli, your highness." The other with brown eyes said. They both curtsied.

"We must get you ready for the meeting with the nobles." Meg spoke, "It is in two hours."

"I can ready myself, thank you." Christine yawned a bit.

"But your Highness."

"I am capable of taking care of myself." Her voice was stern but gentle. "If you please show me where I can do so then I will be ready for the nobles."

"What are we to do?" Sorielli asked.

"Other chores I suppose." She got up and started to walk around, examining the fine objects in the room.

"We don't have any other chores, Highness." Meg shrugged, "Our purpose was to take care of you."

"What are your last names?" She questioned.

"Giry."

"We're sisters."

"Twins."

"I can see that." Christine nodded, and remembered something about that name calmed her. "Now you can tell me where the dresses are so I may start to dress."

* * *

Christine followed Madame Giry to the Meeting House.

"Must we meet like this?" She kept up with the fast pace, with her skirts billowing behind her. "His Majesty thought it better to the men who will begin to dictate you on the first day to court." Her stride never missed.

"Dictate me?" Christine looked strait ahead.

"He wants you to become accustomed to everything quickly."

"Ah," She mumbled the last part, "Thrown into the lion's den."

Madame Giry heard, but just smiled.

"May I speak with him after?"

"That is for him to decide" She began to slow her pace.

"Will I ever speak with him?"

"Perhaps on your wedding night." They stopped at two very large doors. "I wish you luck Highness."

The mighty door swung open. Six men sat at tables on either side while at the front was a chair, she supposed was for the king, but was currently empty at the moment.  
The men stared at her, not sure of what to make of her. All had heard of the great Liren rulers, mostly women. She had come from a long line of them. Each woman fierce as the next, but this girl stood there with her long curly brown hair and dark blue eyes looking like a lamb, an innocent little angel. Her posture was held with confidence and grace.

Christine knew these men held great power in the kingdom. Each governed a providence that was as strong as the next. The main providence, which was the capital of the whole country, ran by the king who then controlled all of the providences. She looked around the room. She was the only female here. That was interesting.

"Good morning gentlemen." A foreign looking man came in, wearing bright colored robes that contrasted the other men's suits strangely. She was intrigued nonetheless.

"Where is the king?" Christine asked, making her presence known.

"Oh!" His eyes widened, "Forgive me you must be Princess Christine." He quickly bowed, "Forgive me. We are obviously not used to woman of royalty coming to the meeting house."

"I can see that." She nodded, "But what I cannot see is the king."

"Yes," The man sighed, "he will not be coming today he had. other obligations to fulfill. But you are more than welcomed to stay and listen to the drabbles of men."

"Thank you." Christine went over and sat in the king's chair and smiled quietly as a few men winced. "Please continue."

"Thank you." He turned to the men, "Now let's start with." The talk went into trade and commerce. She listened intently. This is what the Borswan court talked about? In Liren, yes they spoke about such things in their court, but there were much more things to be spoken of. What about the rights, and the good of the people? Perhaps she should ask a few questions, as in do women even have a voice? But if she spoke now she would be considered too forward. And she didn't want that. At least not until she was married.

"Alright gentlemen." The foreigner said, "Let's bring this meeting to an end. I am sure her Highness finds this truly boring."

"Quite the contrary." Christine smirked, "I find it all fascinating."

"Liren must not be so different." A man on the side spoke.

"No country is the same, sir." Her eyes went his.

"How is Liren different?" A man that had a pleasant looking face and a silver beard asked, "I had not had the pleasure to go there yet."

"Well," She stood, might as well find the enemy now, "How many women do you see in this room?"

"None except you, Highness." The man answered.

"Liren has equal number of each men and women in the court. We speak of commerce and money but also about the people, and their rights." Her voice never wavered. "Now may I ask you a question sir?"

"Yes?"

"Why isn't there one woman in the House of Nobles?" She cocked her head and waited for an answer from him. But he sat there saying nothing.

"Women are not for the common good of the people." The voice came from behind her and she turned to face her foe. He had white blond hair with a set of black eyes. "They would bring the country to pieces. Women belong at home with the children."

"And men are capable of running a country?" She questioned.

"More than a woman who would faint at the sight of blood in battle." He looked directly at her.

"I am a woman sir." Her eyes bore into his trying to find his soul, "And I have never fainted at the sight of blood."


	2. Cecile

"Nadir said you gave an earful to the men in the house today." Madam Giry was showing her parts of the castle.

"Nadir?" Christine asked, taking in the beauty of the castle.

"The foreigner."

"Oh," She nodded, "Yes I suppose I did give them an earful, but I highly doubt any will remember it with…."

"So you enjoyed the House of Nobles?" A smile came across the woman's face.

"Probably the most enjoyable experience I ever had." Christine said dryly as they went into another grand room. "Is this the library?"

"Yes," Madam Giry nodded, "it is the oldest room in the castle."

"I can see." She nodded, "Does it have a piano?"

"No." What an odd question.

"Do you have a piano in the castle?"

"This library has a thousand books at your pleasure." The woman completely ignored the last question. "It is the greatest collection in…"

"Yes I am sure she has learned that long ago." A woman with black hair, honey colored eyes, came forth. Her tan skin contrasted Christine's pale glow. "After all she was sent here to be our queen."

"Mistress Arabella." Madam Giry started the introductions, "She is…"

"Glad to finally meet the future queen." She curtsied. Her clothing was fine and her jewels big. She was in a word beautiful. "Do you like our little country? Or least the small amount you seen of it?"

"Borswan is very beautiful." Christine smiled, "I consider myself lucky to be here."

"Enjoy your time here then." Her beauty did not match her grace as she walked out of the room.

"Who was that, Madame?" Christine asked, looking after the woman that just walked out.

"That would be the king's mistress." She informed her, distaste flowing through her every word about the woman had not been lost on Christine, "You should be weary of her, Highness. Her manner is as fake as her jewels."

"You mean he does not buy her real jewels?" She looked at her, and then back at where the mistress was last seen, "She must not be that good in bed then."

* * *

Christine loved the smell of fresh roses in the gardens of the castle. They were truly beautiful as well. It also helped her to take her mind off of the whole castle buzzing about her. As she walked about the servants would quickly glance at her and then succumb into fits of gossiping as they hurried away. And the only persons she had any contact with were Madame Giry, who only showed up when it was convenient for her, and the Giry girls, who told her what they heard about her in the kitchen. As far as she knew, she was an outspoken woman who only came here to marry the king and then run off with a noble with his money, oh and she was unfit to marry the king with her outspoken disposition. 

Christine knew she was outspoken, no one had to tell her that. But in her country everyone was. Everyone had opinions, but everyone waited until they were spoken to. They asked her what was so different from her country and she told them! True she should have stated it better but still they asked her and she responded. Damn men!

As she turned down another path she stopped. A girl was trying to put her tiny fingers into the calm blue water, but Madame Giry stopped her. She turned to the girl and started to sign to her. The girl was deaf. Christine studied her while Madame Giry made her signs. The girl was beautiful with black curly hair and bright blue eyes. Her smile was carefree and youthful. She could not be more than five, Christine decided with her height. And obviously clever to be able to sign at will.

Christine had to chuckle when the girl told Madame Giry to bother someone else. They turned to her when they heard the small noise. The girl's eyes widened and she caught Madame Giry's hand. Christine smiled and waved at the girl. The girl waved back shyly.

"My name is Christine." Christine signed to her.

"I'm Cecile." She signed back.

"Do you like water?"

"Yes, but I never went swimming before." The girl rolled her eyes, "They told me they wouldn't be able to hear me if I started to drown. I may not be able to speak verbally but I can scream."

"I do not doubt it." She smiled.

"Will you take me?" Cecile's beautiful smile came through.

"Her Highness will not have the time for such things." Madame Giry cut in.

"Don't be silly," Christine signed. "Of course I will."

"You're going to marry papa?" The girl looked at her curiously.

"Depends on who your father is." She smiled.

Cecile gasped and ran past Christine. She turned to see a man in a formal suit hugging the girl. He had the same color hair and eyes. When he straightened she saw he was well over her small height perhaps a foot taller. But peculiarly enough a white mask sat on the right side of his face. Her breath seemed to escape her.

"Madame" The man turned to Madame Giry his voice was deep yet soothing. "I thought I told you not to take her near the water."

"You told me not to let her in the water, Your Majesty." She curtsied and straightened. The king and his future wife stared at each other. Both not entirely sure what to make of the other. She cleared her throat, "You Majesty, this is Christine Marie Annette Daae, your future wife and queen. Your Highness, this is Erik Alexander Minuet Destler III, king of Borswan and your future husband."

"You're Majesty." Christine curtsied.

"So you are the woman who spoke to the House of Nobles." He nodded, "They told me you said some unsavory things."

"Nothing unsavory," She said. "Only true."

"And what would that be?"

"I simply said that in Liren there are equalities between men and women."

"Are you suggesting that I run an unequal government?"

"I am not suggesting," Her head tilted, "I hardly call twelve men and zero women equal, unless the counting is different in Borswan than Liren."

"Perhaps I should…" Madame Giry tried to take Cecile from the king but he moved her out of reach.

"So what do you propose I do?" Erik asked, "Put women into the House of Nobles?"

"Maybe Princess Cecile would like…" Madame Giry tried again.

"For starters yes!" Christine nodded, "Then maybe teach some of the men that women have a voice too!"

"Princess Cecile…"

"This country is much different from yours, Princess," his tone was even, "Some do not like change."

"But does not everyone deserve a voice?" Game. Set. Match.

"Perhaps Princess Cecile would like to go to the library now?" Madame Giry started to lead the girl from her father.

"Yes," The king nodded. The girl stopped and he couched down to her height "What is it darling?"

"I want Christine to come too!" She signed to her father. There was a pause, before the king straightened.

"I do not know what effect you have upon the kingdom but my daughter seems taken with you." He lifted a brow, "She would like…"

"I know what she said." Christine interrupted him signing and saying to prove her point. "And I would love to come."

* * *

I am very glad that I got positive feedback on this story because it is really different from my writing before but I wanted to try something new! Thank you to my beta and to the reviewers. Please review and tell me if you truly like it! 

E.V. Oleander


	3. A mother

"Men are so strange here." Christine looked up from her book to see Arabella standing in the doorway to the library. "I bet it is even worse for you."

"People are different." She watched as the woman gracefully entered the room. "No matter where you go."

"But you are from a strong line of women." A small smile lit her face. "Surely you must know that no woman even set foot inside the House of Nobles. A fact you should take pride in since you were the first woman to go in the House."

"Indeed." Her brow lifted.

"They are scared of you princess." Arabella leaned towards Christine and touched her face gently. "Those men do not like change. And you are a change, a very big change." Christine did not move while Arabella continued to invade her personal space. She toyed with the princess's hair. "You should watch yourself princess. Any body could lie to you."

The women stood up strait then another slow sensuous smile came to her lips. "But I am sure His Majesty would send you back to your small country it trouble ever arises."

"The king will marry Princess Christine." Madame Giry appeared at the door. Her eyes were narrowed at the sight of the woman. "The stable boy called you, Mistress Arabella."

"Which one?" The woman smiled.

"It could have been Ralph." Her eyes focused harshly on her. "Or Lord Benedict."

"My father is a great man." Arabella's smile faded. "You do him injustice to speak ill of him!"

"He already has done himself enough injustice." Madame Giry said coolly. "And you…"

"Madame," A maid walked in. "The king needs you in Princess Cecile's room."

"Well you wouldn't want to keep the king wanting, Madame." Arabella sneered.

"Your Highness may come with me." Madame Giry gave Christine a brief look.

"Of course." Christine nodded and started to follow behind her when Arabella caught her arm.

"Be careful Princess." She hissed and let her go.

"If I were you Mistress Arabella." Her eyes looked over the beauty. "I would not concern myself with politics. Instead I would try to preserve my beauty for it fades quicker than fake jewels."

Quickly Christine went to catch up with Madame Giry. She seemed worried and uncertain. But it did not feel right to ask questions as they turned down a corridor that Christine found very familiar. She noticed that this was her hallway or what she thought was her hallway. When they stopped at a door that was opposite her own Madame Giry turned to her.

"Your Highness." Her voice was solemn. "You must understand that the princess is sick. That she is never in good health. The king is constantly worried for her."

She nodded and they went in. The room's windows were open and on the ledge of a window seat was the king and his daughter. He was leaning against a wall with Cecile sleeping against his chest.

"You called, Your Majesty?" Madame Giry curtsied.

"Cecile needs a warm bowel of soup and tea." His voice was much gentler then what Christine remembered.

"Right away, Majesty." She curtsied again and left the room leaving Christine and Erik without words. Boldly Christine silently went over to the window and looked out keeping a distance between herself and the king.

"I should be leaving soon I have affairs to attend to." Erik said while his eyes watched the sun setting.

"I'm sure Arabella can leave her duty alone for one night." Christine stated.

"She has been dismissed." He didn't look at her. "There are some affairs that are best kept at night."

"What if your daughter calls for you?" She questioned.

"Madame Giry will stay with her."

"I could." Her eyes met his for the briefest second. "Unless you do not want me to."

"I suppose." He shrugged. No one spoke for a while; they just watched the sun set.

"I am not as horrible as everyone think I am." Christine broke the silence. "You must understand I come from a war, poverty and chaos. I am forced to make opinions about everything and not give it a second thought. You are lucky. Borswan will never have to rebuild like Liren."

"Which is why you insisted on this marriage." His eyes met hers.

"Yes." The air flowed out of her lungs as they stared into each others eyes. Her heart began to quicken. She only hoped that he felt the same.

"I brought her soup, Majesty." Madame Giry looked between the two as they quickly looked away from each other. She set the tray next to the bed.

"Good." Erik nodded. "You may rest, Madame."

"Your Majesty?" She looked puzzled.

"Her Highness." He indicated Christine. "Will keep watch until I return."

"Yes sire." The woman curtsied and left. The king carefully got up and carried his daughter to the bed. She stirred a little when he let her down and put her under the covers. He turned to his perplexed bride.

"Wake her to feed her." He said. "And be sure she is comfortable."

"I will." She nodded. He started to leave. "When will you come back?"

"When time permits." And he left.

Slowly she went to the girls' side. Her breathing was steady but very congested. Gently she shook the girl awake. Cecile's eyes opened and when she saw Christine she smiled.

"How are you feeling?" Christine asked.

"Good." The girl went into a coughing fit and Christine rubbed her back to sooth her.

"Madame Giry brought soup." If forced the child might throw a fit so Christine gave her an option.

"May I have some please?" She smiled.

"Of course." Her eyes went to the bowel and back to the girl. Should she feed her? Or should she give her the bowel to eat?

"If you feed me we can talk." Cecile answered her unasked question.

"How old are you Cecile?" She put the first spoonful in the girl's mouth.

"Six."

"You are very smart for your age."

"Thank you." Another bit. "Did you know your mother?"

"A little." Christine was a little caught off guard by this question. "She died when I was seven."

"How old are you now?"

"Twenty five." She smiled.

"You are a lot younger than my father." Cecile's eyes widened.

"Your father is not old." Christine truly wanted to laugh. If only she could have seen the men the court back in Liren wanted her to marry.

"Yes he is!" The stubborn girl insisted. "He is thirty two!"

"That's old!" She contained herself.

"I know!" Cecile's look thoughtfully at her. "You are marrying father right?"

"Yes I am."

"Do you love him?"

"I barely know him." That question always seemed innocent but in all honestly it could break one person and give hope to the next.

"He is not as bad as he seems." Cecile informed her. "Sometimes he likes to scare people because people are mean but he really isn't scary at all."

"I never thought of him as scary." Christine sighed back. "We never speak to each other." She did not want to tell the child the truth that she was only marrying her father for political reasons and destroy her fantasy of princes and white knights.

"You should talk to him more."

"I will try." She thought for a second. "Why do people think he is scary Cecile?"

"Because of his mask." The girl shrugged. "I think he shouldn't wear it. I told him that but he said that people would not take him seriously."

"Why?"

"Because he has a big hurt under it." Cecile looked her in the eyes. "But it is not that bad."

"I see." Christine nodded. She wanted to know what was under it for the first few seconds that she had met the king, but then it was just a part of the stubborn man. The girl emitted a yawn. "You should sleep."

"But I'm not tried!" Even the girl's fingers faltered. "Let me ask you one more question before I got to sleep!"

"Yes?"

"If you do not love him then why marry him?" It hung in the air like the rain clouds on her first day here.

"Time to sleep Cecile." Christine changed the subject.

"But you didn't answer!" She protested.

"I said you could ask but I never said I would answer." She tucked her and placed a kiss on her forehead.

"Just one more!" The girl frantically sighed.

"Fine."

"Can I call you mother?" She asked almost pathetically. "I never had one."

"You have to ask your father that." Christine smiled gently. "Now sleep he comes back."

She closed her eyes and was asleep in a matter of minutes. Christine looked at her peaceful form with envy. To be young again and sleep without a thought, a care, a nightmare.

Christine found herself drifting steadily off to sleep and laid her head down on the soft comforter. It was a while later when she felt a hand on her should shake her awake. Groggily she picked her head up and rubbed her eyes. When she looked up she gasped and stood up very quickly. A little too quickly and it made the room spin. The same hand steadied her.

"You stood up too quickly." The king eased her down on the edge of the bed.

"I suppose I should thank you for that." She looked him. He did not smile but she could tell he wanted to.

"You should sleep." He offered his hand to her.

"I was just about to." Christine pushed herself off the bed and walked to the door. She turned back to him. "Good night, Your Majesty."

He just nodded and she left the room.

* * *


	4. They say lady is fair

"What does that one look like?" Christine pointed to a cloud.

"A cat!" Cecile signed excitedly. Madame Giry smiled softly at the two. The three women sat at the beach happily eating and watching the clouds roll by.

"Can we go swimming now?" Cecile looked at Christine with pleading eyes.

"The king will not be pleased." Madame Giry said to Christine.

"I did not bring my swimming clothes, Cecile." Christine smiled.

"You can swim in nothing!" Cecile's eyes never lifted their persuasive look.

"Cecile!" Madame Giry shook her head. "No. You do not have your swimming clothes either."

"Then I will swim naked." Her six year old mind was not going to give up.

"I will come to an agreement with you, Cecile." Christine signed. "We will swim if we both wear our under clothes. And you never tell your father."

"Really?" The girl gave a huge smile.

"Yes really." Almost immediately the girl began to take off her dress.

"The king will not like this, Your Highness." Madame Giry scolded.

"He will never like what I do." She laughed and took off her layers of clothing until she was left with a chemise and pantaloons.

The two went into the water and Cecile let out a squeal of joy. Christine laughed and held the girl so they could go farther out. The two splashed in the water. And Christine let Cecile lie on her back and float. She felt free for once. There were no rules out here. For a moment she let herself think of a simple life. Nothing could ruin this moment. Not even…

"Your Highness!" Christine looked to the beach. Madame Giry stood there with the king and another man. He did not look happy. Quickly she swam back with Cecile in her arms.

"Your Majesty." Christine nodded to him as Madame Giry took Cecile and wrapped her in their picnic blanket.

"I told you not to let her in the water." He looked at Madame Giry.

"I took her in the water." Christine told him fiercely. "Madame Giry told me not to. She had nothing to do with it."

"If you knew it was wrong." His brow lifted. "Why do it?"

"Forgive me, Your Majesty," she made herself stop shaking from the droplets of water running down her boy. "But keeping your daughter from something that is harmless is ridiculous."

"She cannot speak!" He was trying very hard to keep his anger inside. "If she started to drown…"

"Then give her swimming lessons!" Her hands were trying to warm herself. She looked at the man next to him. "Who is this?"

"This is Lord Benedict." The king indicated the gentleman.

"We met in the House of Nobles, Your Highness." His black eyes held her blue ones.

"Oh." She nodded. "Yes I remember you. The man that declared women should be kept home with the children."

"I do not believe those were my exact words." The man chuckled.

"But they were something along those lines." Her smiled was now plastered on her face.

"Yes." He smiled and turned to the kind. "There is something that is calling to me at home…"

"Your wife?" Christine asked innocently.

"Perhaps you should watch your daughter more carefully, Your Majesty." His eyes looked Christine over and the king threw his jacket around her. "I would hate to see her make an exhibition of herself like others."

"Perhaps you should watch your own daughter." Christine's voice was full of malice and dislike. "You would hate to see her with another fake jewel."

The man bowed. "Good bye, Your Majesty." And left.

Erik turned his future bride around. "He is loyal to the crown. I will not tolerate this."

"You do not have to tolerate it." She glared. "You can simply ignore it like you do your people's rights."

"Is this a game to you?" He growled. "Have you come to destroy my country?"

"No!" Her voice grew. "I have not come to destroy your country! And I know this is not a game! Do not punish me like a child when I have done nothing!"

"Then stop behaving like one!" His tone was low. "Treat my men with respect."

"I do." She glared. "I treat them with the same respect they give me."

Cecile pulled on his pant leg and he bent down to speak with her.

"You should have gone swimming with us papa!" The girl's excitement showed though her face. "We swam all day! And Christine let me go under water with her too! I love to swim father! It's so much fun!"

"We also watched the clouds." Christine signed.

"That too!" She smiled. "Can I call Christine mother?"

There was a stunned silence. Erik looked at Christine steadily then back at his daughter.

"You may call her whatever you like." He signed. "As long as she accepts it." He looked at Christine.

"It would be an honor." She smiled and Cecile hugged her.

"We should get back to the castle." The kind stood swiftly. He held out a hand for Cecile and she took it with Christine's in the other. The royal family headed back to the castle. Madame Giry followed behind, smiling to herself.

* * *

"He is a very ugly man." Sorielli wrinkled her nose. 

"I think he's handsome." Meg nodded.

"You think Lord Carvie is handsome Meg." Her sister rolled her eyes.

"But Lord Benedict." Christine intervened. "His family has been faithful to the crown?"

"I think they use it to their advantage, Highness." Meg shrugged, "But all those nobles do."

"Lord Benedict sets his spies everywhere." Sorielli said.

"In the palace?" Christine asked.

"Especially that daughter." She nodded. "Put in the king's own chamber… Oh forgive me Your Highness, I…"

"The king dismissed her." Meg informed her.

"Is that why she was storming out of his chamber yesterday?" Sorielli gasped.

"I do not doubt…"

"I thought you worked only on this side of the castle." Christine looked between the girls.

"We do." They nodded.

"Then why did you say you saw Arabella walk out of this king's chamber" She asked.

"His room is next to yours." Sorielli answered.

"One of those doors connects to his." Meg pointed to the doors on the other side of the room. Christine did not notice those before.

"Oh." Christine let her mind wander. Could the king walk in her room at anytime? Would he walk in?

"Your Highness." The door burst open from the hallway as Madame Giry walked in. "His Majesty is requesting your counsel in the petite meeting room."

Christine nodded and followed Madame Giry to the destination. They sped through the corridors and stopped at a door. Madame Giry let her in and left. The king's back was turned. When she made sure they were the only two in the room and the doors was securely closed she spoke.

"The nature of this meeting?"

"The wedding."

* * *

Wouldn't you just love it if Erik could walk in your bedroom at any time?;) Sorry remind me to get my mind out of the gutter. Please review I love getting them!

E.V. Oleander


	5. Loving Goes By Haps

Erik stood on the other side of the room not facing her. He had been down this lonely road before. A wedding, for him meant alliances nothing more and he could never let it mean anything more.

"About it?" Christine felt her heart quicken.

"We are to marry next week and your coronation will follow on the same day." His back sill faced her. "Madame Giry will help you with the arrangements for your dress." She let herself take it all in before she spoke.

"I suppose we should get to know each other better, then."

"Indeed?" He faced her with a lifted brow. "But we both know why this wedding is taking place."

"All the more reason." She took a seat at the long table and indicated that he do the same. He stared at the seat then back at her before taking it. They stared at each other.

"This is ridiculous!" Her eyes rolled.

"I agree."

"Then I will ask you a question and then you will ask me one." She suggested.

"And lead into another argument?" He sighed and stood. "I think we should…"

"No!" Christine stood up. "I mean ask questions pertaining to ourselves. No politics involved."

"Very well." The king sat back down. "Ladies first."

"When is your birth date?" Oh Lord! At this rate they were probably better debating what kind of plates to have at the wedding even though that was most likely not up to her to decide.

"November twenty-first." He answered.

"That is mine also." She sat in her seat. "Your turn."

"What is your favorite book?"

"That is almost asking me to pick my favorite song." A small smile came to her face.

"You enjoy music?" His reaction was not clear but he was surprised.

"You didn't follow the rules." She pointed out. "You asked me two questions."

"To be fair," He lifted a brow. "You did not give me a definite answer."

"Music is my favorite thing in the world." Her eyes became distant. "It does not argue. It sooths and calms my person. If I did not have music I do not think I could…"

"Survive." He finished quietly for her.

"Yes." She nodded. "Do you play an instrument?"

"Yes."

"Which one?" Christine felt excitement rise in her.

"I believe it is my turn to ask a question." He smirked. "What instrument do you play?"

"The violin and just a small amount of piano." She shrugged. "Which…"

"Many." Erik answered before she could even start. "But I favor the piano."

"The piano is my favorite also." Her eyes looked with uncertainty into his. "My mother taught me to play before she died."

"How old were you?"

"Seven." She sighed. "My father thought music was still important so he taught me the violin and to sing."

"You sing?"

"Not very well." A small laugh emitted from her. "I'm quite horrible actually. But my father thought I was good. He died when I was eighteen." A pause. "What about your parents?"

"What about them?" He asked defensively.

"What were they like?"

"I never really knew them." His answer left no room for discussion. She let it go.

"Why did you agree to this marriage?" She questioned. "There are much richer countries than Liren to make stronger alliances. Why Liren? It has…."

"Would you like to see our music room?" He swiftly stood and went over to her.

"You didn't answer my question."

"The rules clearly state that you may ask questions but not answer them." Erik held out his hand to her. "Come."

She took it without hesitation. He led her through an unknown doorway in the room and through a passageway. They began a tedious journey through the extensive walls in the castle. After a while she had to guess they were at least on the other side.

"If you expect me to remember this…"

"I do not expect you to." He didn't turn, just kept going. Finally he opened a door a room. Christine gasped.

The room was beautiful. One large window filled the pure white room with light. Gold accents made the room glow in an unearthly way. The room was heaven for her when she saw various instruments neatly arranged and shown off. A large black piano sat in the center of the room. When she looked up her mouth slightly opened.

The ceiling contradicted the pureness of the room. The room no longer had the innocence she once thought possible. Images of Hell filled that space. Fire consumed the wicked. Satan laughed as he torched them. Then there was a child. Once side was perfect like an angel carved it and he seemed out of place. The other side was ragged and sores ran though it. Christine stared in amazing sadness.

"Who did this?" She asked.

"I did." Erik nodded.

"It's beautiful, Your Majesty…"

"Erik." He said quietly. "You may call me Erik."

"Erik." Her lips savored the word for a while. "Tell me who the child is? Why did you put him there?"

"Perhaps another time." He sighed.

"Well then Erik." She nodded towards the piano. "Play something for me."

"What would you like to hear?" His lean body sat down at the large, black piano.

"Sonata in F minor." A petite smile came to her lips. "By…"

"Beethoven." He nodded. And his fingers began to play the quick and lit tune. She smiled and closed her eyes. Her mother had taught her this one. She told her it was a good song to take out your frustrations. Truth be told, it was an excellent song to do that with. Erik played it as such. He played it with something else besides frustration.

"Perfect!" She applauded and laughed after her was done. "Play another!"

For the rest of the afternoon he played for her and she relished in the fact that he could play with perfection. Who knew a king could have so much talent? After he finished they spoke with another.

"Liren use to have a music festival every year before my father died." Christine smiled. "The newest musicians would come and show the court their new works. I remember people would come from everywhere."

"I remember the festivals." Erik nodded. "I never went to one."

"Why not?"

"My parents did not allow me to leave the castle." He sighed. "They did not want me to ruin my chances to marry a great alliance."

"Where was your last wife from?" She asked. She did not need to why or how he would ruin his chances. His mask she guessed but she did not see it as a huge threat; in fact it made him even more mysterious and stand out. He was the only man that intrigued her so.

"She was from Nigia." His eyes met hers.

"Isn't that a providence of Borswan?" Her eyes narrowed.

"Now it is." He nodded. "Her father had wasted all his country's money on gambling and lavish parties. He had forgotten his resources and put his matter only on his view of the pleasurable life."

"At least the people enjoyed themselves while their country suffered." She sighed. "Liren's wealthy do not even have enough food to eat."

"I never really understood Liren's downfall." He looked thoughtfully at her. "It seemed very out of place."

"It was a long time in the making." Christine leaned against the piano. "The downfall began when I was eighteen when my father passed away. The two men he put in charge began to squander our money supply. They decided that Liren should grow. So they called up our troops and drafted our men and women in to the troops. Leaving the mines, forest, waters, and other workplaces mostly empty."

"You have women in your troops?" Erik had a look of surprise on his face.

"I told you everything is evenly split in Liren." She shrugged. "But the two men also took women out of the Delegates, our House of Nobles, and sent them off to fight. I could only stand and watch as our money disappeared and the palace turned into a hospital for returning soldiers.

"When I finally became of age at twenty I took our troops away from the battlefield and put back to work. But some of the mines had collapsed and most of our forests had fallen. I exiled the two men that were responsible. For they were alone in making the decision. I made them pay for their brutality to my country."

"How?" His voice was quiet.

"Torture." Christine couldn't look at him. "I wanted them to pay for what they did to my country. But I can hear their screams in my sleep and I can smell their blood."

"What were their names?"

"There was one that died two years later named Redford. And the other we cannot find is named Borgia." She let out a sigh.

"You returned the women to the Delegates?" he could not believe this woman would ever physically hurt another. She did not seem strong enough nor did she seem capable.

"Yes." She nodded. "Some had died in battle but I replaced them." Looking towards the window she said. "The moon is up."

"We should get back." His eyes looked her over. Yes she was beautiful especially right now when she was weary and calm.

"Before the maid begin to gossip." Christine looked around. "We're not going back the way we came are we?"

"No." He smirked and stood. "This way."

Opening a door they ended up in a lavish bedroom. The walls were a deep wood and the bed was a four poster with burgundy canopy and bedding. He crossed the room and opened another door.

"Your room, Your Highness." He bowed as she walked through to her room. Turning back to him she said.

"You may call me Christine."

* * *

So how was everyone's V-day? Yea mine was great, I ate a box of turtles and watched Phantom and Sex and the City. Yes it was a good day.

On to other things...I'm happy you guys like it but when only three people tell me what they think of last chapter its not majority. And I really like to get different opinions. But thank you all for reivewing and taking the time to read this.

E.V. Oleander


	6. I Do

Christine sat with Cecile on the floor playing with her dolls. The wedding was tomorrow and here she was nervous as all hell. She and the king had surprisingly gotten off the subject of politics this week and were getting along better. They spoke of music, arts, Cecile, like in general, and really nothing in particular. It was odd really. Christine found herself liking the man she was being forced to marry. She was happy that this was turning into a relationship she could stand, unlike others in the castle. Arabella was one to name. She had become a nuisance to Christine, like a maggot that would not stop biting her flesh. And the girl's father was… well if Christine saw him she would immediately turn the other way. Her tongue would never silence when she was around him.

"Tomorrow you are going to be queen, Highness!" Sorelli giggled. "Are you excited?"

"Of course." Christine smiled weakly.

"She's nervous, Sorelli!" Meg sighed. "But every women is afraid of her wedding night not the actual wedding."

"Meg!" Sorelli gasped then rolled her eyes. "Well we all know you won't be afraid of your wedding night."

"Of course I won't be." Sly eyes turned to Christine. "But are you, Your Highness?"

"I haven't given it much thought." She thanked the lord Cecile could not hear this.

"But are you?" Sorelli was now curious.

"That is my concern." Her weight shifted. "Not yours."

"Have you…" Meg began.

"That is none of your concern!" Christine gasped. "And no I have not!"

"You know the first time is painful." Meg seemed nonchalant about the whole conversation.

"Meg I don't think…" Sorelli glanced at Christine.

"But it depends on his size." She kept going.

"They have different sizes?" Sorilli asked. Who became sucked into the whole conversation. And Christine pretended not to care and played with Cecile.

"Of course." Meg shrugged. "But as they say, bigger is better. Although the smaller work harder."

"What do you think Emmet is?" Sorelli asked.

"The stable boy?"

"Yes."

"Defiantly small." Meg nodded.

"Damn it." Sorelli gasped. "Oh I'm sorry you're…"

"Sorelli." Christine sighed. "It doesn't matter." And went back to ignoring them. All the while wishing she could have an actual conversation.

"So what about the king?" Sorilli asked. This caught Christine's attention but didn't give them an indication she was listening.

"I would say that he's bigger than most." Christine let herself a small smile at Meg's answer.

"Why?"

"Because of his feet." Meg replied. "Their huge!"

"Why would his feet make his… him any bigger?"

* * *

Christine looked at herself in the mirror. Even she had to admit she looked beautiful; scared, but beautiful. The gown was white with red and gold stitch. The red stitch made roses on the bodice while the gold intertwined with the red. It trailed down to the skirt but not as heavily as it was on the bodice. She wondered who could even think to make such a beautiful dress. 

"So he didn't send you away?" A voice came behind her. Christine turned. "Surprise."

"Mistress Arabella." Christine lifted a brow. "I hope those jewels around your neck are real. Or does your father think too lowly of you to have real ones?"

"Bravo, Princess." She came towards her. "I didn't know that I could bring out such filth out of your mouth. Perhaps the king can bring out worse than I can."

"What are you doing here?" Her eyes narrowed. "The guests are supposed to be in the church."

"But I'm not really a guest am I?" A slow and steady smile appeared. "More of a pestering fly."

"Flies can be terminated." Christine turned back to the mirror finishing a few touch ups. "Now leave."

"I do not have to listen to you." The woman sneered. "You are not my queen."

"I will be."

"No." Arabella came closer so she was standing directly behind her. "You will never be my queen."

"I…"

"No, Princess." She placed her mouth next to her ear. "But I will have him back."

"Guests are in the church, Mistress Arabella." Madame Giry entered the room.

"Good luck princess." Arabella backed off and left.

"His Majesty is waiting." Madame Giry turned to Christine. She nodded and followed her out the door where the royal guards were waiting. Each one surrounded her. They began to go to the church.

Her mind reeled. This day was supposed to come of course, but so soon? Well perhaps not soon for women her age, for they were made mother many times over by now. Today was her wedding day. It was neither joyful nor gloomy. It was just another day. But another day that would send her country out of poverty and a day where she would be bind to a man that she didn't love or thought she didn't love.

The group came to a slow and steady stop. Christine took a breath as the doors swung open and revealed an enormous crowd with the king at the end of the aisle. She took a step down it and another….

Erik watched steadily as his bride walked down the aisle. She looked beautiful. Everything around her seemed to glow. Ever since that night he had shown her his piano they had become closer. He had learned the little things about her that was just her. He learned she was witty and had grown up much too fast. That she still did childlike things but would make up for them later. He even learned her favorite color was the same as his, red. That was why he made the tailors put red on her dress, knowing she would love the little detail.

He told her of problems within the House that she helped him solve. There was no doubt in his mind that she was intelligent and someone that was willing to speak with him. Beauty and the fact that Cecile adored her was only a plus. Of course she was stubborn and quick tempered but he was also those things so they could not be held against her.

Erik took her hand as she offered it to him when she arrived at the alter. Neither of them smiled. They looked straight ahead.

"You could at least look pleased." Christine whispered to him.

"So could you." He looked at her out of the corner of his eyes. "Though I never thought of you as a blushing bride."

"You'll be please to know, Your Majesty." She kept her voice quiet so the priest would carry on with the ceremony. "That I have never blushed in my life."

"That could change." Erik let himself a tiny smirk.

"I highly doubt that." She sighed. "Any last things you would like to know about me?"

"I can found out later." He turned to her.

"Can you accept my past and future mistakes?" Her head turned to him.

"I do." Answering both the priest and her. "Can you accept mine?"

"I do." She nodded.

"You may kiss the bride." The priest announced and applause went through the church as the king and queen shared their first kiss.

* * *

"Beautiful, Majesty." Lord Hensley nodded. "Truly beautiful." 

"Thank you." Erik and Christine nodded back.

"Your Majesties." A young man about twenty seven with blond hair and green eyes came forward. "May I say it was a magnificent spectacle?"

"The circus or the wedding?" Christine lifted a brow.

"The wedding of course." He smiled. "But I will be sure to visit the circus and comment on that also if it pleases your majesty."

"I'm afraid the circus…" She stopped when Erik gave her a slight nudge. "What of your name sire, I believe we have not had the pleasure of meeting?"

"This is Count de Changy." Erik nodded towards the boy. "He is the ruler of Plantne."

"Ah." Christine smiled. "The fighters."

"We have not kept up that name, Majesty." Count de Changy said. "My court may disagree when I work for peace, but in the end it is my say."

"And may it stay that way." Erik nodded.

"Well I wish you both joy." The boy went away.

"Wasn't he a charming man?" Christine said dryly.

"He is young." Erik shrugged. "He is lead by dreams."

"Do not judge too quickly." She scolded. "Count de Changy may speak and look like a lamb but you never know what may happen is that lamb turns into a lion."

"It is a good thing then that Count de Changy's country depends on Borswan for many materials." He smirked slightly as another nobleman came and congratulated them.

* * *

Christine began to feel anxiety as Erik led her down the quiet and dimly lit hallway. Her heart began to race. Did he expect her to lie with him tonight? Was he expecting her to consummate their marriage? She knew she was not a skilled lover and she knew that she would not be pleasing. But would he teach her? Could he teach her? 

Her breath caught as he stopped between the two doors. Erik turned to her and lifted her hand to his lips lightly touching them.

"Goodnight Christine." He went to his door.

"Goodnight Erik." She nodded and both went into their own rooms.

* * *

I got almost ten reviews for the last chapter! Thank you soooooo much! Please review!

E.V. Oleander


	7. In Sickness

"Has Liren received the shipments?" Christine asked.

"Yes, Your Majesty." Jane nodded. "And the palace is being kept up, waiting for your visit."

"I'm glad to hear." She smiled. "How are all the delegates?"

"Fairing as everyone is." The woman answered. "Your Majesty, there has been a sighting of Borgia we fear…"

She didn't finish. The king strode into the small meeting room. He stopped when he saw Jane standing there.

"Lady Jane." Christine indicated him. "This is your king."

"Majesty." She bowed.

"She is…" Erik eyed her. The woman was strangely wearing trousers.

"Lady Jane informs me of the happenings in Liren."

"I trust all is well?" He nodded.

"They soon will be, Your Majesty." Jane said. "Liren thanks you for the shipments you so graciously sent."

Erik looked over at Christine then back at Jane. "No thanks is necessary."

"You have accommodations, Jane?" Christine glanced at Erik.

"I am leaving tonight." She began to walk out. "Perhaps a visit should be in order soon?"

"Soon." Christine nodded and the woman left. Sighing she started. "Erik I can explain…"

"Than you may explain." He put his hands behind his back.

"Borswan had so much set aside and you were getting more shipments not to mention the resources along with it!" Her body sat down in a huff. "Your country is not starving. I had to send the food!"

"Is that all you sent."

"Only some cloth and medicine." She looked at him. "What were you planning to do with all of the extra supplies? You had thousands of pounds of food set aside."

"I was planning on giving all of it to Liren." He smiled slightly.

"Really?" Christine stared at him for a few seconds before she burst out into giggles. "I knew I should have just sent it all."

"If you wish," His shoulders shrugged. "You may send the rest."

"I was going to." She smiled. "With or without your consent." Taking a slight pause she stood. "So what did you need me for?"

"What would you think of a music festival?" He watched her nervously. "Here in Broswan?"

"Is your Kingship asking me permission?" Seeming amused but still delight at then idea she said. "I would love to have one. But the supply, food, money…"

"I can assure you none of those pose a problem." Erik smiled. "You spoke of missing them so I will speak with the House tonight about it."

"If you tell them that I even spoke a breath of this they might turn it down." She sighed.

"None of the Lords would think to turn a festival down." He touched her cheek, sending a tingling sensation there. "Beside your voice over rules them."

"Will the House even consent to have Ladies in with the men?" Her voice had somehow turned docile.

"Perhaps one day." His eyes looked into hers. "Would Her Majesty care for a walk?"

"That would be nice."

* * *

Christine could barely open her eyes. The sun was too bright, she could not breathe out of her nose, and her head hurt. With a moan she rolled over and willed the sleep to come. 

"Good morning, Your Majesty." The girls walked in.

She did not answer. Maybe they would go away if she didn't.

"Majesty, you must get out of bed." It was Sorelli busing herself with work.

"Sorelli…" Meg looked at her.

"You have a very full day today." The girl kept speaking.

"Sorelli…"

"And His Majesty requires you're…."

"Sorelli!" Meg sighed. "Are you blind?"

"What?"

"Her Majesty is lying in misery and you are informing her of nonsense that she obviously does not care about!" She touched Christine's forehead. "You have a fever. We have some remedies that can calm your symptoms. Would you like that?"

"I am not a child." Christine said weakly. "So do not speak to me as such."

"Yes, Your Majesty." Meg nodded. "But would you like the remedies?"

"Yes thank you." She sighed. "And also some tea."

"What about the king?" Sorelli asked.

"Tell him that I do not feel well." Her head went up a little. "Say that I most likely will speak with him tomorrow."

"But Majesty…"

"I will be fine tomorrow." Christine went beneath the covers and fell asleep.

* * *

"Majesty." Madame Giry entered the king's large meeting room. A few men stood; obviously the meeting that had taken place was over. 

"Yes Madame?" Erik looked to her.

"I have a message from the queen." She went towards him. "She is unwell today and had to cancel…"

"What is wrong with her?" His voice stayed even but Giry could see the concern he was hiding.

"It is just a head cold sire." She answered. "But I'm afraid that…"

"Is something wrong?" A young gentleman came forth. He had pulled back his blond hair and his green eyes set off a childlike form about him. Indeed he was handsome.

"Everything is fine, Count de Chagny." Erik answered.

"Ah, well." The young man nodded. "Give the queen my best wishes and I will see Your Majesty at the festival." Erik nodded at the man as he left.

"What were you saying Madame?" He sighed.

"I do not trust him sire." She looked to the spot where the boy had left.

"Count de Chagny is too concerned with parties and such to even have a sensible thought." Erik lifted a brow.

"Indeed." Madame Giry let it drop. "I came to say that the queen's condition forces her not to leave her bed and to cancel your meeting with her."

"I see." He thought for a second. "Cancel all my meetings then."

"Yes, Your Majesty." She left with a slight smile on her face.

Erik waited for her and the rest of men to leave and went to Christine's room. Quietly he opened the door.

"Your Majesty." Sorelli straightened and curtsied. "The queen, she…"

"You may take a leave today." He gestured for her to leave. "And so may your sister."

"Yes, Your Majesty." She curtsied again and left.

As silently as possible Erik pulled up a chair and put it down by Christine's bedside, and sitting down he examined her. Her breathing was deep and heavy while a congested snore emitted from her mouth. The fair skin was flushed and her curls were mussed. But even now she was beautiful. He would not deny that fact. Was he falling in love with her? Perhaps but she could never love him back. He understood and reached out and touched her hot cheek and stroked the soft skin there. No beauty this fair could never love him. His own mother could not love him. He saw her smile contently and her eyes fluttered open. They widened at the sight of him. She sat up quickly a little too quickly.

"Lay down." He helped her onto the soft pillows. "You need your rest."

"Shouldn't you…"

"I canceled everything today." Erik sat back down.

"Why?" her voice was a little raspy.

"I took it upon myself to care for you." His shoulders shrugged. "To make sure that someone takes care of you properly."

"I am capable…"

"You cannot possibly think that you can take care of yourself in this condition." He chuckled.

"It is not that bad."

"If you argue you will farther damage your vocal cords and how will you ever sing for me?" A small smirk lit his face.

"Perhaps I will refuse to sing for you." She crossed her arms.

"You should rest." He shrugged. "You will sing one day."

"Perhaps." Christine sighed. "I would rebuttal but I am much too tired."

"Pleasant dreams, Christine." He said.

"And you." She went down underneath the covers and fell back asleep.

* * *

MMmmmm... Raoul showed up again for this chapter... But Erik took care ofher in the end! YEY!

Thank you guys sooo much for the reviews! I love them and its what keeps me writing so keep 'em comin'!

E.V. Oleander


	8. Some Cupid Kills with Arrows

Christine felt her excitement grow as the date for the festival drew near. But of course she would stay calm while at the festival and not let her childish excitement show. She knew that there would be world renowned musicians coming as well as new and youthful ones. Her mind reeled with anticipation at the prospect of getting to listen to all of them. And now she had to seek some peace.

Smiling to herself she snuck into Erik's music room and over to the piano. Placing her fingers on the keys she began to pluck out a few notes stumbling over them as she went and became frustrated. Looking around she spotted a beautiful deep mahogany violin. Carefully her steady hands took it down from its place on the shelf.

Notes began to flow out of the instrument as she played. The sound was excellent. As her old rusty hands became use to the violin once again she hummed softly.

"I thought you said you did not have any singing ability."

"To be fair, Majesty," Christine didn't stop playing. "I said I wasn't a good singer. I have singing abilities just not appropriate ones."

"I have heard much worse." Erik shrugged coming towards her. "You have a beautiful voice, from what I can hear."

"Are you jesting, Sire?" She lifted a brow.

"Not at all." He stated. "I was complementing you. How are you feeling?"

"Much better." The playing stopped and she placed the violin back on the shelf. "I should thank you again for comforting me in a… difficult time. I…"

"No thanks is necessary." His eyes went to hers. "After all we must follow our vows."

"True." She nodded. "You said you wanted to speak with me today?"

"About the festival…"

"Are we still having it?" Her heart sank a little.

"Yes of course." He said quickly. "But I was wondering if you had a composer or such that you wish to have there."

"I'm sure I will be pleased with the ones present." She shrugged.

The two stood there. An awkward silence filled the room. Neither knew of any more to say. But both wanted desperately to say something.

"Cecile is doing well in swimming." Christine shunned the silence. "She can stay afloat by herself now."

"That's very good." He nodded.

"Perhaps you should come swimming with us one day." She smiled hopefully. "You can see how much she improved."

"I do not swim."

"You can't swim?" A small laugh came from her. "Well then I suppose I will have to teach…"

"I do not wish to swim." His eyes met her blue ones.

"Why?" The question was impending.

"It is a…burden for me." He sighed.

"You may swim without your mask." She ventured.

"I would ruin the whole outing if I did." Erik sat down at the piano bench.

"That is very doubtful." Taking a seat next to him and took his hand in hers. "As you said before I will follow the vows and honor my husband."

"Sire." Madame Giry appeared at the door and they dropped hands. "Your presence is required in the House."

"Thank you, Madame." He nodded and stood, facing Christine he said. "Perhaps we shall take an outing to the beach." And kissed her hand, then left.

Madame Giry eyes the girl with interest. "An outing?"

"I suppose." She looked down at the keys on the piano.

"Funny." The woman half smiled in admiration. "The king has never really gone to the beach on an 'outing'."

* * *

"Cecile you must wait for a while before you go swimming." Christine signed to her.

"Why?" The girl signed back.

"You will get sick." She answered.

"No I won't!" Cecile rolled her eyes and turned to Erik. "Tell mother I will not become sick!"

"She won't become sick." He seemed very delighted at the squabble between the two.

"You're not helping." Christine spoke to him; Cecile pulled at Christine's dress and glared up at her. Christine sighed and signed to her. "If you start to not feel well do not blame me."

The girl smiled and hurriedly took her robe off that hid her suit. Christine followed her lead and looked at Erik before her and Cecile went splashing into the water.

"Last chance, Erik." She teased.

"I forgot me swim clothes." He shrugged.

"That did not stop me." A small smile came through.

"I'm fine thank you."

Cecile went over to him and signed. "Please come, Papa."

Erik looked between the two women and sighed and stood up, striping to his underclothes. Christine felt the air leave her lungs. It seemed men underclothes only consisted of leggings that reached mid thigh. And indeed His Highness had no reason to hide behind the layers of clothing. She came to the conclusion that this was not the first time for physical activity for this man.

"Well." Christine cleared her throat. "We should…"

Before she could say anything else, Cecile ran towards the water obviously bored with what the adults had to say. Erik and Christine went after her making a monstrous splash into the water. When they surface the looked around.

"Where's Cecile?" Christine asked and was answered by a blanket of water to her face. Erik chuckled and Christine splashed him, making him stare at her in surprise while she had her own giggle fit. It continued from there and the royal family went into a sudden splashing spree.

Cecile backed away and gave the adults a questioning look. Of course neither noticed but she was trying to figure out what was happening with her father and new mother. She noticed glanced between them, the slight touches, and when one of them would hold her she felt the vibrations in their voices became deeper. Sitting where the water and the sand met she observed them. Her father had been happier. Though most wouldn't notice because her father glared at everybody, but he never glared at her or Christine. Wait… her father loved her and did not glare at her….and he did not glare at Christine…could he…. A tap on the shoulder made her thoughts temporarily leave her and turned to see a man standing there.

"Who are you?" Cecile glared at him.

"Your father seems happy with his new wife." He was obviously of high stature because of his wealthy clothes.

"He's very happy." She was weary of this gentleman.

"Is his wife happy?"

"She is." The girl glared. "I do not know you. Go away."

"Good day, Princess." The man walked away.

Cecile looked back at her family. Her mother was happy, she could tell.

* * *

Sorry this is late I have been very busy! Good new though! The play is this upcomig weekend and I will actually have time to write! And I have another story that I want to put up! So new story and more time to write! Yes! Hopefully I will be able to update my other story sometime this week so look out for that one. Thanks to my wonderful beta! Please Review it is what keeps me sane for Hell Week!

E.V. Oleander


	9. Some With Traps

"No, no." Christine pointed to the flowers. "I said that I wanted those to be red roses, not blue or whatever that color is."

"It's white, Your Majesty." The servant corrected her.

"Yes," She almost blushed at her mistake. "Well please just correct it."

He nodded and went about to do so. Christine took in a deep breath. The festival was coming to be very close and she was beginning to worry. Erik had put her in charge of decorations. Honestly she was not good at decorating and constantly wondered what was going on.

"Majesty?"

"Viscount." She smiled. "I did not know you were staying for the festival."

"Well." He smiled back, putting all his boyish charm into it. "I must admit that music holds a weak point for me."

"I did not know you held such interest." A brow lifted.

"Oh I do." His shoulders shrugged. "To be quite honest, Majesty, music is well…"

"You don't understand it do you?" She shook her head, smiling and turned away to look at more items for the patterns.

"Not one bit." De Chagny came up behind her. "I do find it fascinating, though."

"Really?" Her head turned and realized how close they actually were.

"But not as fascinating as you." He brought his hand up to touch her cheek.

"Viscount." Christine backed away and looked down at the sound of her husband's voice. "The House will meet in five minutes."

"Thank you, sire." The Viscount nodded and left a longing kiss on Christine's hand. "I will see you at the festival."

"Perhaps." She said coldly. He walked away and her eyes met her husband's. Erik just left a heartless feeling inside her body as he walked away.

* * *

Not one look. Not one stare. Not one word. Christine was going to go insane. Erik had not spoken to her since he saw her with the Viscount. She knew he was angry and he had good reason. Desperately she tried to speak with him before the festival but now here she was listening to music from her throne sitting next to the man who was refusing to talk to her.

"The music is beautiful." She whispered stealing a side glance of him. He didn't answer. "You are going to have to speak to me eventually." No answer. "You are acting like a child! We can have a civilized conversation but you chose not to."

"I choose freely." His voice was low.

"I understand why you are upset with me." Christine said slowly. "But nothing happened."

"It is not my business what you do with you're…"

"You are my husband!" She glared. "Of course it is your business! And nothing happened, nor is anything going to happen!"

"You cannot promise that." He countered.

"Neither can you." Her eyes shifted to him. "But I will do everything in my power for nothing to happen." Their eyes met.

"You give your power lightly then?"

"I would never." She turned to him. "Beside, as you said before the Viscount is too heavily involved with his own existence to be of any real interest to me."

"Real interest?" His brow lifted.

"Well." Her shoulders shrugged. "Any interest."

* * *

Christine sat on a bench taking the book in front of her. Well is seemed she was but her mind was elsewhere. Last night and that one day at the beach and… well every memory that held Erik in it. He was fascinating to her. And yet she did not understand why his very presences sent her heart pounding. And very often she found herself wondering what his lips really tasted like. Yes they kissed at the wedding but that was nothing, just a quick peck, now more than once a day she wanted to grab him and see what a real kiss of his would be like.

The man himself was amazing. A king, musician, father, painter and a total mystery to her. Perhaps it was the mask, no because he was so much more than that! Even though it was a mind full why he wore it.

"Your Highness."

"Viscount!" She looked at him. "I did not see you there."

"I can tell." He smiled. "I'm sorry; did I intrude on your reading?"

"Oh," Christine looked at the book in her hands. "Yes, but it was not that interesting. Did you need something, Viscount?"

"Call me Raoul."

"Did you need something, Raoul?"

"Just the enjoyment of your company." He sat down beside her. "I am afraid I missed you last night."

"Oh yes." She nodded. "Did you enjoy it?"

"The music was beautiful." His eyes went to hers. "But I can think of something much more beautiful than the music…"

"I am glad you enjoyed the music." Ignoring the statement she went on. "Are you staying with us longer?"

"I'm afraid I have to leave in the morning." He said. "You should come to Plantne."

"We will visit sometime." She got up but he pulled her down. "Viscount…."

"No I mean with me."

"Are you mad?" Christine glared.

"You couldn't possibly want to stay here!" He squeezed her hands. "You are far too beautiful to stay with a creature like that! You deserve to be treated like the beauty you are!"

"My husband is not a creature!" She tried to pull her hands away.

"But you are suppressed!" Raoul declared.

"And I wouldn't be in Plantne?" He eyes held his. "You say I am a beauty and I need to be treated as such but how would that be? Would I be paraded around? Shown off on your arm? Would I be able to speak my mind? For your information I am treated fairly by my husband and he respects me and my opinions! You could never do that!"

"You want to stay with that freak?"

"He is not a freak!" She shouted. "He is a man. He is a man full of compassion, devotion, and talents that you are in direr need of sir!"

"I can give you everything!"

"You lack the thing I need most!"

"I will give it to you whatever it is!"

"Christine!" The king's voice was heard in the distance. Christine tried to shout back but was pulled in for an unwanted kiss.

"Christine…" She pulled away and looked behind her at Erik.

* * *

I ama bad updater... I am soooooooooo sorry! No one should have to wait that long for a chapter but the next one may be a little wait... not a long one! but a little one. So please review because this is kind of an exciting chapter! Thanks!

EV Oleander


	10. The Ties That Bind

"Erik wait!" Christine shouted, but he turned and hurried away. She tried to get away but Raoul held her close, "You bastard!" Her hand made contact with his cheek causing his lip to bleed.

"Such sprit!" Raoul smiled. "Come, he won't take you now!"

"Even if you were half the man I would never go with you!" Her voice became low and deathly. "You are nothing compared to him! You will never even be a quarter of what he is! I will never go with you!"

"Really?" He nodded. "What if Liren comes under attack? Will you go with me then Your Majesty?"

"With every fiber in my being I will fight them off." Christine drove her knee into his groin. "I hoped you enjoyed your stay Viscount!" And ran into the castle.

She ran past the maids, butlers, officials, and even Madame Giry. They all gave her strange looks, but she did not pay any heed to them. Her mind was elsewhere. She had to find Erik and she knew exactly where to look for him.

As she arrived in the music room, she saw Erik sitting at the piano. His head down, defeated, and hands resting on the keys but no noise came from the instrument.

"I thought you would be halfway to Plantne by now." He voiced.

"Erik, I…"

"I should have known." His hands fell into his lap. "I told myself not to…"

"To what?" She asked quietly.

"To care." He stood and came near her, lips set in a thin line, his eyes cold, and his voice was demanding. "But I might inquire as to what game you were playing at, Madame. Why live a lie?"

"I play no games sir!" She glared.

"Then why…"

"Because I do care for you!" Her breath gave out in an angry sigh. "De Chagny means nothing to me!"

"That was very clear when you kissed him!"

"I never wanted it!"

"Then pray tell Madame." His breath hot on her face. "What is it you want?"

"I…" She stopped. "I do not know."

He turned and shook his head.

"I do know that I want my country to country to be safe!"

"Ah yes." He scoffed. "Your precious country. The reason why this marriage was arranged. A marriage based on protection. As long as your country is safe, then we may move our separate ways!"

"That's not true!" Christine shouted.

"Go on with your affairs." His shoulders shrugged. "And I'll go on with mine…"

"I have no affairs!" Her anger flared. "Nor do I want you to have any!"

"As you do what you please." He turned to leave. "I will do what I please."

"You are acting like a spoiled child!"

"Then you must be rubbing off on me!"

"Are you deaf sir?" She gritted her teeth against the other. "Or are you incapable of thinking that perhaps I do not care for de Chagny and that I will, always and forever care for you?" He stopped. "He means nothing to me. And if he did I would not be here arguing over my own feelings of which I know very well!" She took a breath. "Do not hold me responsible for your own insecurities; I have enough of my own. I promise you that I will care for you forever."

"You cannot promise that." He said quietly, his back still facing her.

"I may promise whatever I wish." She walked around him to face him. "Whether you chose to believe it or not is your choice. I spoke my peace."

"You didn't want him to kiss you?"

"No." Christine felt her heart quicken as she touched his cheek and said, "The only person that I want to kiss or even touch me is my husband."

Erik laid a hand on her neck and followed it up to her cheek and kissed her delicately. She responded to the kiss by opening her mouth a bit to allow him access. He moaned softly as he tasted her inside his mouth. Her hands gripped the nape of his neck, making him feel even more desire for the woman that held him with such a caress. Without even knowing it the couple made their way back to the piano Erik used it to push Christine against for an attempt to feel her even closer to him. The keys made a sour note but even their trained ears did not bother to pick it up.

She gasped as his lips moved to her neck giving her little nibbles, forcing him try to control himself, but it was in vain. Her body began to heat into an untamed fire that filled her soul and she too tried to control herself. Christine was not experienced in any way, only a stolen kiss or two from the stable boys and visiting county boys, but she could feel something that stirred within her, something that she had to discipline within time, but for now she refused to discipline it no matter the price.

A knock sounded at the door, and ended their rendezvous. Both looked at each other with a certain emotion in their eyes that could not be explained. Their depths united and torn apart all in one stare. Everything was different now, both had said things that meant something to one another and now there was no hiding from it. The knock sounded again.

"One moment!" Erik called to the knock.

"Majesty." It was Madame Giry. "The meeting is in ten minutes!"

"Thank you Madame!" He said and caressed Christine's cheek once more. "I will always be at your side."

"I know." She nodded.

They both left, each fingers entwined with the others.

"The mines are doing much better." Christine nodded at the report. "And everything seems to be going well. So the question would be why are you here, Jane?"

"Majesty." The woman sighed. "Sources tell me that Borgia is in Borswan."

"Well." She put the papers down and looked up at the tough, strait woman. "I suppose we have a problem don't we?"

"Your Highness…"

"Are these sources reliable?"

"Yes."

"But what can we do?" Christine shrugged. "I have not seen the man in seven years. I could only recognize him with blood running down his face. Besides he has the means and the money to change everything about him."

"Yes, we know." Jane nodded. "I wanted to just warn you of impending danger. We may not know his looks, but we sure as hell know his doings."

"Indeed." She agreed. "But I highly doubt he would be anywhere near the castle. He knows he would die on sight."

"True." Her eyes held the hers fast. "But take extra precautions, Majesty. Liren does not need another upset."

"You're Majesty." Meg knocked o the door.

"Come in, Meg." Christine called.

"His Majesty is wondering if you would enjoy a stroll in the garden." Meg gave her a knowing smile.

"Tell him I will meet him out in the garden in five minutes." She tried to keep her voice calm but her heart raced with excitement.

"Alright." Meg nodded and left.

"I though you said no attachment?" Jane lifted a brow.

"I am not attached." Christine narrowed her eyes. "I am simply getting a better understanding of my husband."

"Right."

"I am being serious!"

"You're Majesty, if I may be so bold." She said. "Your blush, eyes, and the way you look at the moment is either love or a strange Borswan look when you are being serious and quite frankly the last does not suit you in the least."

"Enjoy your journey back to Liren, Jane." Christine huffed and left the woman snickering.

Really! How could that woman say something like that? Especially to her own queen! Her in love? Ha! The very notion! She had seen many great people fall under that spell and was doubtful it would ever happen to her. Wait, why doubtful? No, Christine was positive it would never happen to her!

She cared for him. That was all. If she only cared then why did her heart race every time he was near? Why did her stomach do flip flops every time she heard his name? Why did his eyes and lips hold such a fascination to her? And how was it his kiss that sent her senses reeling? There had to be a reasonable explanation for these things. Infatuation perhaps? Lust? She had to find something besides love, it would destroy everything! It destroyed her kingdom and that could never happen again.

"I thought you said five minutes?" The enchanting voice said.

"The castle has many turns." Christine shrugged. "I am still not used to them."

"Interesting, even after four months you are still not use to the castle." Erik studied her closer and lifted her chin gently to get a better look, she looked away. "What is wrong?"

"Nothing." She struggled to put her emotions aside. Why was it easier to do this to another and not him?

"Really?" He lifted a brow. "Why are you wringing your hands so tightly?"

"I am fine." Her palms wiped themselves on her dress.

"That is not very convincing."

"Why do you care?"

"You are my wife." He shrugged. "It is my duty to care."

"Is that all I am to you?" She asked, suddenly mad. But in her mind she knew she should not be angry with him, instead she should be happy. Although her heart begged to differ.

"Is that all you want to be?" The question stunned her. Was it? Was all she wanted to be was his other duty? Did she want him to be her other duty also? Was she willing to risk everything for a man she barely even knew?

"No." Her voice was defined. "I am more than a wife…I want to be more than a wife."

"I want to be more than a husband." He whispered. A rustle in the bushes came to their attention, and Erik moved Christine away from it. "Who is there?"

"Show yourself!" Christine demanded, not noticing the tight grip she had on Erik's arm. A figure launched itself at Erik.


	11. Until Then

Erik stumbled back a bit when the figure launched itself at him but he caught it readily and looked down to see Cecile smiled widely at him and Christine, as Erik held her in his arms when he caught her.

"You are supposed to be in your lesson, Cecile." Christine felt relief knowing that it was not anyone threatening.

"It was boring." She replied. "I much rather be here with you and mother."

"Cecile." Erik put her down, knowing there was more behind it than just her being bored. "You should not runaway from your tutors."

"But I have a good reason!" The girl protested.

"What would that be?" He asked doubtfully.

"Master Harrison was paying attention to only the boys!" She signed furiously. "Then he said that girls were only useful when married!"

"That is a good reason to runaway." Christine said to Erik and he gave her a look, but she returned another as if taunting him about the swimming incident.

"And!" Cecile made their attention return to her. "He spoke it to make sure I didn't understand!"

"Then how did you understand?" Christine looked at her.

"I am getting better at reading lips." She shrugged. "And I made him sign it."

"How did you make him sign it?" Erik asked.

"I ordered him!" Her manner became proud. "And he listened, papa!"

"Well." Christine signed. "You should get back to your lesson."

"But…"

"I meant the other lessons." She smiled. "There are much more important ones, I am sure."

"Who let you escape, Cecile?" Erik questioned his daughter and she just stood there. "Cecile…"

"I did." Sorielli cleared her throat and came away from the bushed. "Mama had the other duties to attend to and told me to watch her since Meg was gone."

"You should not have let her leave class." Christine said sternly, but then smiled. "But I admit, I would have done the same."

"That is why I let her, Majesty." The young maid shyly stated. "Would you like me to take her, now? I will call…"

"No." Erik spoke. "I think we shall go on an outing of our own."

* * *

"That is the wrong key signature." Christine pointed out as she walked into the music room, while Erik played the piano. 

"No." He shook his head. "It is not."

"Yes it is."

"No," His voice was steady. "I know this piece by heart."

"Oh do you?" She smiled and took a seat next to him. "And why would that be?"

"I wrote it." He smiled back and continued to play.

"Its beautiful." Her hand touched his to stop the playing. His eyes turned towards hers, which were filled with longing and emptiness. "The child, in the picture, is that you?"

His lungs let out the air in them, and he turned away. "Yes."

"Why?" Her voice was barely above a whisper. "Why would you condemn yourself to something you do not deserve?"

"Perhaps it is exactly what I deserve."

"What have you done to deserve a such reward as to burn in hell?" She questioned.

"I was brought up to believe I was." He swallowed. "To my parents they received me as the devil's child. I was nothing more than a thing. Never there, never caring, never loving. My hope and prayers were believed to be devil's work."

"The mask…" Christine let her eyes linger to it for a while.

"Yes, the mask." His teeth became cemented together. "It was a way I could present myself and not be presented as my parents were led to believe. It stands for everything that I have wronged and am going to wrong. But at the same time is it my…"

"Protection." She said softly. "Its your shield."

"Yes."

"May I see it?" Her heart stopped at the question that sprung from her mouth. "Beneath it, I mean."

"Christine…"

"I understand." She looked downward. "It protected you for so long and I demand that I take something that is not my mine to take. It is not fair and I shall not…"

"It isn't." His voice was quiet. "You came here unbeknownst of me and I could not possibly think of what you thought of me for the first time…"

"I think you were going to be just like every man." Her eyes grew distant. "I sought to find your inner workings, your weakness, everything. I wanted this to be strictly alliances, nothing more."

"Is it not?" The question made her look into his eyes.

"It was." Christine felt something in her fall. "Until..."

"Your right." He shook his head. "It changed somehow."

"Yes." She agreed. "But when, when did it change?"

"For me," Erik smiled softly. "It was when I saw you with Cecile. You treated her with kindness and I saw her eyes glow. They had not do that in a while and I just could not help that you had done that. You truly are tender and gentle when you are not provoked."

"And for me." Her eyes lit up. "It was when you were by my side when I was ill. No one has ever cared for me like that. I know it sounds pathetic but its true."

"It isn't pathetic." He whispered. Silence grew as the two looked at each other. Trying to define what they needed to define. They both knew something had changed, but what?

"Erik." Her voice was shy and quiet. "I want to be there for you. I want to show you that I do care. And… I want you to trust me as I trust you." A breath. "In time, if it mustn't be now, then in time." She kissed his cheek and made to go when he caught her. Her head turned to see him with his head down.

"Is isn't that I do not trust you." He said in a low tone. "It is not that I do not care. Its worse, much worse."

"How worse?" Christine felt her stomach falling.

"They say men do not fear things…"

"Everyone has a fear, Erik." She stated calmly. "You are only human; you have fears."

"I know." He nodded. "But this fear has spanned my whole life and each person has fed it."

"What is it?"

"Christine." His voice came out in a sigh. "I cannot…"

"Then don't." She touched his hand and looked at their hands intertwined.

"But you…"

"If you are not ready, then don't." Her free hand touched his cheek. "There can't be anything between us to make it work."

Erik looked at her a moment longer and then brought her into a searing kiss. Willingly she held him to her and opened her mouth to allow entrance. He let his hands travel from her neck to her bust and through the heavy fabric she could feel his hand massage her breast. Christine arched her back when the sensation came to its full and moaned when his lips attached themselves to the tender skin on her neck. His teeth pinched and teased the flesh. The nimble fingers moved themselves to the back of her dress where the laces sat. Slowly he worked the laces.

Christine stopped and rested her forehead against his, breathing heavily. Erik paused with his eyes still closed.

"Until you trust me." She whispered. "I cannot be yours."

* * *

Yes I know I am a very bad updater. I am sorry it has been crazy here, please blame finals and such because that it what is taking up my time. Oh and 'Vous' yes I know I am trying to update that so as soon as I get it back from my beta it will be up and it is the last chapter for 'Vous'. So keep an eyes out for it. Anyway please review and enjoy the story!

EV


	12. Desires

"No." Christine shook her head. "It is ridiculous!"

"It has been this way for many hundreds of years, Majesty." Madame Giry stood still watching the young woman pace.

"Are men too feeble to change?" She questioned. "Or are they just too narrowed minded?"

"Well…"

"Do not answer that!" Her glare even made Giry stop speaking. "They let me in before! And now when I am actually their queen they refuse to let me in! Damn men wanted me to fail before I even began!"

"Isn't that true for all women?" A voice answered.

"Madame Giry." Christine did not turn. "Leave myself and Mistress Arabella."

Madame Giry left without even a glance at the hateful woman that had just walked into the room. Sensing a foreboding argument she left the door just a smidge open.

"So." Arabella let her finger draw non-existent dust from the table. "I see Borswann is treating you the same. The king is no doubt treating you well and… oh the Viscount, how is he?"

"I would not know." Christine turned to face the woman fully. "Is he well, Mistress?"

"There are rumors, princess." She lifted her head a bit. "That he planned to runaway with you, that you and he were madly in love and you did indeed runaway with him."

"As you can see." Her arms presented her. "I did not runaway with him and have no intention to. Actually I find him to be quite loathsome. As for his plans, I would not know for they were his and not mine."

"Really?" Brows lifted. "You prefer a masked king to a handsome Viscount?"

"I do." Christine confirmed. "And one time ago you did also, unless naught has changed."

"You have not had him fully, princess." Arabella growled. "I have, do not forget that."

"I never did."

"Good." Small satisfaction came to her face. "But let me warn you that even then in midst of the sheets and sweat the king will not remove his mask."

Christine just glared at the vile creature that her husband had touched. He had used this woman and yet even when she had given herself to him, he sill did not attend to the actual woman. For some reason she pitied the girl at the same time she hated her for all she had seen and touched. But a questioned came through her mind, would he do the same to her?

"He does not love you, princess." Arabella's voice was cold. "Do not make yourself believe he does."

"Did you?"

"Did I what?" She narrowed her eyes in confusion.

"Did you believe he loved you?" At once the woman that had been her husband's mistress rounded on her.

"That man," Arabella hissed. "Loves no one. He has not the heart for such things. His only love is for his country and for himself, do not forget that."

"As you obviously did." Christine whispered harshly.

"You…" The woman ripped herself away from the queen and walked halfway across the room until she turned to her. "Do you love him?"

The question hung in the air. And the two glared at each other for what seemed an eternity. Arabella was the first to look away when the king himself barged in. She returned to a demure, wilting flower that was willing to do anything for any man at any time.

"Mistress Arabella." Erik looked at her. "The order was to stay out of the castle unless the occasion called for you to come."

"Your Majesty." She blubbered. "Please, please forgive me! You see my father said…"

"Is your father your king?" He asked.

"Well…"

"It depends on which way you look at it." Christine said.

"Really?" Erik quirked a brow. "How so?"

"Every man seems to be a king." She shrugged. "What would be the difference of one more?"

"Leave us, Arabella." His eyes never strayed from Christine.

"But, Your Majesty…" Arabella started.

"Leave." He demanded. "And do not forget my order."

"Yes sire." The woman curtsied then left, shutting the door fully. When Erik heard the click he crossed to Christine.

"What were you thinking? That was not a time for your damned politics!"

"When would the _occasion_ call for it then?" She glared.

"What…"

"These _occasions_, Erik when are they? At night? During the day?" Her voice rose. "Does she warm your bed? Does she…" She stopped and stared in horror. What was she doing? Why did she care what he was doing with a mistress? "Oh God…"

Christine abruptly turned and left.

"Christine!" Erik called after her and hurried towards the fleeting figure.

She did not run, but it was very close to a jog. Her mind was reeling and she felt tears threatening. The walls that she had so strategically placed were now started to crumble. Opening the door to her chamber she quickly shut them and sat in her sitting area, and put her head in her hands.

"Majesty?" Sorielli called out and came towards her. "Are you alright?"

She did not have time to answer, for the doors were thrown open and Erik stormed in. Christine immediately stood and the girl curtsied.

"Out." His tone left no argument as the girl scurried away, leaving the queen and king alone. Christine stared at him, her head held high and body erect but mind was processing everything that needed to be dealt with.

"What is wrong, Christine?" He asked.

"Is she good?" Her breath came out.

"What?" His bewilderment was not lost on her.

"Does Mistress Arabella let you fill her with sweet words and whispers?" She stepped towards him, threateningly. "Does she open her legs to let you in, knowing that to you it means nothing?" Tears spilled over her cheeks, her steps never ceasing until she was in front of him. "Tell me, do you hold her and think of no one but yourself? Is she everything that a man wishes a woman could be? A helpless, stupid, girl? Tell me Erik!" She sobbed and began to beat his chest with every ounce of strength she had in her. "Tell me!" She could not do it any more as he eloped her in his arms. Her whole body shook with heaving, heavy sobs.

"She means nothing, Christine." Erik whispered hold her close and rocking her. "I have not seen her since we married, five months ago. I swear she means nothing and never did."

"Is this a lie?" She breathed in deeply. "For I cannot tell what is true and was is not anymore."

"I could never lie to you." He shook his head, wondering what she and Arabella had discussed, and what had provoked these words to come out of her mouth. "Mistress Arabella is nothing to me. Nor could she ever."

"Why do I care?" Christine pushed herself out of his arms. "I have been brought up to care only for my country! Every lesson that I dealt with as a child told me never to care! History showed me that everything falls apart when love comes! I chose this path because I thought that perhaps we could grow for a mutual understanding of each other, but no! You want more! I want more…" She turned away. "I want more."

"What do you want Christine?" Erik looked at her feeling sympathy for but his heart was going a million miles a second.

"Arabella has already taken from you what I desire most." She sighed.

"Arabella has taken nothing." He said sternly. "Only little jewels, nothing more." He lifted her chin to meet her eyes. "What do you desire most Christine."

"You."

* * *

_I know I'm a mean horrible person for leaving you guys there, but I just could not help it! So I finally finished Vous, but I am now have my total focus on Greatest and Imperfect! Well... maybe not my whole focus because I am cooking up something new, but that will not be out for a while. _

_ Next week may be the last time I update for a while because I am taking multiple trips that are very close together, so just to give everyone a heads up on that. But I do execpt reviews... So please review and tell me what you think! Please and Thank you!_

_EV_


	13. Tasks and Masks

Erik felt his heart stop at that one word. _You_. Was it possible? Was it even fathomable? Did the woman standing in front of him care for him as much as he cared for her? Did her desire reach as far as his did? She looked just as shocked as he did when the word spilled out of her mouth. Her eyes, that look he knew, it was one of desperation and loneness. Everyday his eyes held the same feelings the same look, but they would suddenly disappear when she was near. But the look was there now, begging him, pleading with him not to leave her now.

Oh God, how long had he dreamed of her, wanting him, desiring him? Was this a dream now, another cruel dream? His fingers still held her chin as he wondered, could she possibly even love? A monster, a demon, like him, could she hold even a minuscule place in her heart for him?

"Christine…" He savored the name on his lips as he bent his head for a kiss.

"No." She whispered, as the tears slowly rolled down her cheek. "I have ruined everything."

"No." His lips turned into a slight smile. "You have made everything better." Erik pulled her to him and kissed her.

"This…" Christine broke the kiss. "This cannot be right. You have to stop, now…"

"Why?"

"Because I do not have the strength to deny you." She stared intently into his eyes.

"Then don't." Again he brought her into a searing kiss. He brought his hand to her throat feeling her pulse.

"Erik, please." Her voice begged. "Stop. I cannot…"

"What is wrong?" He looked down at her.

"We cannot do this." She breathed.

"Why ever not?" Erik gave a lit chuckle.

"It…" This had to be her weakest moment in her life. "Its…"

"What, Christine?" He sounded concerned.

"The mask." She felt ashamed, but knew it was something that had to be address; she would know the exact man that made her heart soar and her mind whirl, or she would not know him at all. The feeling of immediate regret filled her as his arms came to his sides and he backed away from her.

"Why?" His eyes became furious. "Why must you be so meddlesome?"

"I have every right to know who I married." Her strength was returning, but her eyes were still rimmed red and face flushed. "And I told you I will be yours when you finally trust me."

"I cannot do that." He stood steadfast.

"I never said that you had to." She replied. "It was a fair warning. I trust you, and can trust that you will say when you are ready, until then I am yours but in spirit."

"If I show you," His head bowed in shame. "You will fear me, you will hate me for forcing you to marry me."

"You did not force me, I came to you on my own freewill." Christine shook her head. "And I could never hate you. As for fearing you, the only thing that I fear from you is that you'll leave me, cold and lonely. You are the only person that I ever spoke to that did not have to do with politics. You gave me my music back. How could I hate or fear you? I sense that even if I tried that I could not."

"How are you so sure?" He asked.

"I don't know." She gave a small laugh. "Perhaps it is because all my life I have been certain of everything I do and now that it is uncertain I feel as though it is right. Does that make any sense?"

"In reality it shouldn't." His eyes met hers for a moment. "But I suppose we have broken all ties from that."

"I suppose so." Her breath came out in a sigh. "I do not want to force you. Forgive me, it was a foolish request." She began to rush past him and he closed his eyes as he took in her sweet rose sent. His life had been nothing but his kingdom and daughter since she came into his life, was he willing to go back to that now? He would know that everyday she would speak to him guardedly; making sure that whatever she said would not indicate the mask. That is exactly what Cecile's mother had done after she asked him.

"Christine…"

"Erik." She turned to face his back. "This changes nothing. You are not ready, I can understand that. What I cannot understand is that you are willing to have intimacy with someone that you do not trust. I suppose it is true what they say about men, that sex is just a way of releasing tension."

"It would not be that way." He looked over his shoulder at her.

"How do you know?" Christine shook her head. "How do I know? And in showing that I do love you, I will be patience, and I will wait for you."

"What?" His body faced her. No one had ever said that they loved him, besides Cecile. Never in his whole life had been loved back like this. Never in his whole life had he loved like this. Christine felt the same, as her heart pounded in her chest. She knew that it was not right to put him out like this, but she had overcome her fears and she prayed that within time he could do the same. Yes she had been patient all these months and yet still no glimpse. She felt as though the mask was a barrier, blocking her out of the actual Erik. But still her mind fought that he needed more time, and she would allow that. As for the kingdom, she knew that her love must be kept secretive otherwise their enemies would use it against them. It did not matter anymore he needed to know.

"I love you, Erik." She said slowly. "I will wait until you are ready."

"How?" He looked at her like she was mad. "You have not seen beneath it! You cannot say that!"

"Perhaps not." Her shoulders shrugged. "But it is my fault for pushing you, trust me it will not happen again. I fell in love with a man not the mask."

"You will run when you see beneath it." His voice shook. "You will scream, curse, and pray that you will never have to see me again."

"No." She disagreed. "That is only in your head, Erik."

"In my head?" He laughed a humorless laugh, and then shouted, nearing her. "In my head? Nothing is in my head, Madame! I have seen it many times! My own parents could not stand to look at me without the damned mask! I know what they say, Christine! They call me monster, demon, freak! My own people call me that!" He took a breath and stopped right in front of her. "Tell me, how can I plan to believe that you will not do the same once you see it?"

"I would have run long before this if I did not receive you." Something in her eyes made him believe every word she said, and the anger began to slowly melt away. He backed away a bit and turned, leaning against the piano.

"My face has not been seen by anyone but Madame Giry and a few others." He said slowly. "It is deformed, and looks as if it belongs on someone that has died long ago…"

"Erik," She sighed. "I do not want you to do this because I want you to, I want you to do this because you feel right…"

"I do." His head bobbed "I am just warning you…"

"I do not need to be warned."

He just nodded again, and steadily took of his mask, still not facing her all the way. Placing the mask down on the piano he turned, with his eyes held shut. Erik listened for the screams but none came, he would almost take them now besides the deafening silence that was occurring. He heard footsteps coming closer, and stop in front of him. Still, he waited for something vile to happen, but it didn't. Instead he felt the tender touch of her soft fingers on his jagged side. They were not harsh and unpleasant, but delicate and tender.

"You always had this?" She questioned.

He nodded.

"It does not hurt, right?"

"No." His voice came out in a whisper, as he slowly opened his eyes.

"Its red from the mask." She pointed out. "The skin cannot breathe with you always keeping it away from some air. You should let it out more, and then it would not look so red. Perhaps when we are alone you can."

Again Erik just nodded. He did not know what to say, no one had ever reacted like this. It was almost as if she was interested in the morbidity of it. And he felt a gentle kiss on his deformed cheek. A single tear rolled down from his eyes.

"You're still Erik." Christine let herself a small smile. "And I still love you."

That broke the barrier between them as he pressed the small-framed woman to him, kissing her with such force that he became afraid he was going to break her. He stopped and leaned her head against his own.

"Thank you." He whispered, and seized her mouth once again. A knock at the door broke the kiss.

"Majesty." It was Madame Giry.

"Yes?" Erik called, quickly putting his mask on.

"I need her Majesty." She said. "Lady Jane is here to speak with her."

"I will be right there." Christine answered, wiping the tears from her face. She hastily kissed Erik and went towards the door, but he caught her hand and pulled her into a very passionate kiss.

"I truly love you Christine." He told her. "Please, never let that be questioned."

"It won't be." She smiled and hurried out the door with a small smile on her face.

* * *

As much as I would like to update this twice like my other story I cannot do that with this one because its not finished. But please reviews are always nice and I really like them! Wish me luck on my trips! Hopefully I'll update in ten days! please don't be mad if I don't! PLEase and thank yOU!

EV


	14. A Test

Christine stared at the woman in front of her. She wanted desperately to disregard everything Jane had said but knew that it was useless to even try to do so. Everything she had said was true, everything that had to happen was going to.

"These reports," Christine sat back in her chair. "They are reliable?"

"Very, Your Majesty." Jane confirmed. "They said that twenty troop were coming each with twenty thousand men."

"Liren only has five troops." She stood and began to walk around the room. "They could have easily defeated them with only seven or eight, but twenty? That is not just killing the troops but the people!"

"Perhaps they are testing you, Majesty."

"On what?" Her body stooped its movement to turn to the woman across the table from her.

"Your relationship with the king." Silence crept into the room for a moment.

"Damn him." Christine stomped her foot. "Damn him! Must everything be a game to him? He is willing to kill his own people to see if the king will give me troops to fight for my country!"

"What do you mean…"

"I was the only woman that ever refused him." She rolled her eyes. "He is honestly the most childish man I ever met."

"What about the mines or…"

"No," Her head shook. "They are only just a plus, but he is angry because he did not receive what he wanted."

"What are your orders, Majesty?" Jane looked around disbelievingly at the situation, there was no doubt in her mind that the womanizing, socialite Viscount would do something like this. "Because we cannot have all of Liren fight."

"The Viscount wants to test the king and I relationship." Christine rose. "Then it will be tested." She flew out of the room with Jane close on her heels. Her presence sent the servants hurrying out of her way and causing them to stare after her. She slowed to a stop when she came upon two great doors with guards on either side of them. They bowed when she neared.

"I would like to see the king." She said in a stern voice.

"I am sorry Your Majesty." One looked doubtfully at her. "But women are not allowed in the House, especially when the nobles are in a meeting."

"By whose orders?" Jane spoke up.

"The nobles and the king's." Another answered looking less sorry.

"What if I change your order?" Christine questioned.

"I take orders from the king only." The snobbish one shrugged.

"I am the queen and I will change your orders right now." She hated using her status as a reason but if he was going to act superior to herself, then she would throw that in for safekeeping.

"We take orders from the king only." He repeated and his voice was very condescending. "Leave, princess there is nothing for you behind those doors anyway."

Christine glared at the guard and then shrugged a bit before she turned to make as if she were to leave and then turned abruptly and kneed him right in the groin. She did not even bother to look at the others before bursting into the House. Every man in his seat turned to stare at the queen before them, with wide eyes and opened mouths. Well that is except for one who sat at the end with his nose buried in reports.

"You should not threaten my guards Madame." Erik kept on reading the reports; actually he had found the whole exchange amusing. Although when the guard had called her princess that made his blood boil. "They become useful in times of need."

"When I have their respect, I will." She replied.

"What is it that you needed so badly to barge in here?" He set the papers down.

"Plantne has declared war on Liren." As she spoke whispers went through out the room. "And I need troops."

"How many?" His eyes stayed on her, even though the whispers were turning into something louder.

"Enough to rid the country of twenty-thousand men and reinforcements." When Christine said that uproars came to the House as Erik stared at her for a while before doing anything.

"Enough!" He roared at the men. "I can see and _hear_ that many of you are unhappy with this, and I ask you now to speak up, one at a time, like the gentlemen you claim to be."

"Your Majesty." Lord Benedict stood at his seat. "Liren is already in ruin. There is nothing there Plantne will gain."

"They will gain the mines." Christine flashed a look at him. "Those alone have millions perhaps even billions within their depths."

"And if those cave in?" His brows lifted.

"There is wood, among other resources in Liren." She nodded. "I just heard that some of farms are running."

"Oh sire!" Lord Benedict mocked her. "Did you hear? _Some_ of the farms are working!"

"One farm alone feeds half of Borswan." Erik informed him.

"Majesty." An older man that Christine knew as Lord Halverson stood. "Are you really suggesting sending our men to fight for a country that is just ruins?"

"If rebuilt the country could bring in much revenue." Lord Carvie stood. "And I assume Borswan gets some."

"Borswan gets twenty four percent." Erik nodded, and Christine shot him a quick look.

"Borswan has enough money." Lord Halverson spoke.

"I assume the nobles also receive some of the funds." Lord Carvie looked to Erik for confirmation.

"Indeed." Christine answered, yes she knew that money was the reason for these men and if they wanted it to save her country so be it. The men seemed more at ease.

"How much will we get?" Lord Emerson questioned.

"More than you make now." She let herself a small smile on that remark as the men chuckled.

"Oh please!" Benedict moaned. "Sire, are you truly going to let some _harlot_ run your country?"

Silence filled the room. The men stared in shock at what the man had just said. Some silently agreed but knew that a great penalty for calling the queen a harlot was very probable. Others wondered what the penalty would actually be but thought that no matter what; the queen deserved more respect than that even if she was out spoken, she was still young and could be taught. Christine stood, unmoving until Jane made a move for the man and stopped her before anything happened. She then looked to Erik who gave the man a subtle death glare but stood up and calmly began to walk over to him.

"Lord Benedict." Erik stated keeping his voice at calm, yet deadly level. "You have the fully liberty of expressing your views and I may respect them. However," He stopped right in front of the man and frowned at him. "If you decide to disrespect myself or my family again your punishment will be worse than death."

"That woman has made you soft." Benedict growled.

"On the contrary." He shrugged indifferently. "She has made me quite hard, unlike your own whore of a daughter that is happier with a broomstick than a king."

"Leave my daughter out of this." His eyes became lit with fire.

"That is fine Lord Benedict." The king nodded. "But do not forget who hold the deed to your life. Your are dismissed."

Without another word an infuriated Lord Benedict marched away and stopped by Christine who did not know weather to be pleased or angry by her husband's remarks, she turned to look at the lord.

"The king tries easily, princess." He hissed. "Be careful he does not tire of you."

"Lord Benedict." She said with fake happiness. "I assure you he never will tire of me, personally, but he may tire otherwise. And let me guarantee that it will not be your sadistic ideas of ruling but his own that will fill his head."

"Lord Benedict." The king commanded. "I thought I told you that you were dismissed."

With one last huff the muffled lord walked out and Erik turned to the entire noble who were staring at the boldness of king when his queen was standing right there.

"Well then gentlemen." He spoke, "Is there anyone else who would like to speak as boldly as Lord Benedict?" None spoke. "Good. Is there anyone who disagrees with sending troops to Liren?"

Again the uproar began and all Christine could do was wait.

* * *

_ I am the worst updater EVER! I am sooooo sorry that this is a very boring chapter, but its suppose to explain somethings that are coming up. And its quite gritty, I hope that it does not offend anyone. Although this story may become something a little more than just talk... Anyway please review so I know that you guys have not abandoned me! Please and Thank you for reading and reviewing!_

_EV_


	15. Pieces of Kisses

Christine stared out the window of the music room, looking for peace while she watched the sun fall beneath the distant mountains. But peace would not find her for a long time to come. Everything was a complete mess. Her kingdom was set off to be delivered into hell. True, Erik had convinced enough of the men to send troops to help her falling kingdom, but to rebuild again that was going to be her hell. To watch her people struggle the first time was hard enough, to watch them again would be even harder.

She needed comfort. She needed peace. Neither of which was going to be for a while. Arms eloped the distraught queen, an act that she normally would have given her some relief but now she was unfeeling to it. Another's body heat was offered to her chilled, small frame. Christine accepted but only because she felt nothing.

"Liren will be great again." Erik reassured her, holding her close to him. "And the troops will be on the front in time."

"That must be the most positive thing you have said since we met." She commented dryly. "Everyone thinks I am a whore. They think that I fill your head with horrible ideas and thoughts, when I am only being true to myself and my country."

"You have brilliant ideas." He squeezed her a bit to hopefully give her some life back. "I am glad someone finally accepts my ideas."

"So," A chuckle came out but it had nothing to do with humor. "Your people…our people really do view me as a whore. That I sleep with the king to get him to just… give ideas, bad ideas for the country. They do not respect me."

"Well you are not sleeping with me." His shoulders shrugged and she turned to give him a look. "And the ideas are also mine. The people will learn to respect you. To them you are something new and frightening. They do not know your ways and Borswan is so steep in traditions that the people are becoming indifferent to other nations and in turn those nations are beginning to loath us."

"But they still think I am a whore."

"Christine." Erik took her shoulders in his hand and faced her. "We are husband and wife, we have a right to do whatever we wish. They cannot condemn us for being a married."

She knew he was right. Erik and her were married and if they did sleep together, or make love that would be their choice. But yet they did not do either of those things and therefore she was treated unfairly for things unknown to others. Which was none of their business in the first place. God damn it, she was married and… in love! Let them question her let them condemn her! At least she was better than most, those men having mistresses and the poor wives at home with the children, or perhaps the poor wives with the stable boy in her bed.

"Erik?"

"Yes?"

"Do men usually speak so boldly about," She cleared her throat this was a subject that she had yet to truly discover. "Sex?"

"Most men yes." He nodded. "But I prefer to stay away from speaking that way towards women. I find the act quite vulgar."

"But you partake in it."

"True." His eyes met hers. "The act itself is something that is kept between the people involved, but when men begin to bring it up as a defense or in speaking then I must resort to the crudity of it."

"Do I really make you… competent?" Christine felt her heart beat quicken as he neared her and placed a hand on her cheek.

"I only need to feel your presence," He whispered as his hand slowed its way down to her hips. Her eyes slid close as he pulled her nearer and placed his lips next to her ear. "When your hand is upon mine I know that everything will be alright, and when our lips touch it is only you I know." His other hand stork her curly locks and he backed away, looking into her eyes he said. "Your hurting for your country. But I promise you Liren will be great again and you will have something to smile for. Please believe me, I would give you anything."

"Tell me all you say is true."

"I could never give you a false note, Christine." His fingers on her waist found their way to her dress laces, making her knees weaken. He kissed her cheek slowly and whispered. "I love you."

"Show me then, what it truly means to be loved." Her eyes pleaded with his, at first shocked by the request but Erik was not a man to back down on urgent demands. He pulled her to him in an engaging and passionate kiss. She let out a surprised gasp at how passionate it really was. As she began to relax more he deepened the kiss, letting his hands become wrapped up in her hair. Christine felt his solid muscles beneath the thin layer of his shirt, glad that he took off his official coat, and moved her hands lower. Her curious fingers traveled to his waistline and she heard him suck in a breath.

Erik broke the kiss and look at her. He was wondering weather or not how far she would indeed go with this. When she undid the top button to his pants he almost dropped to the floor. And when she unfasten the other two, his head spun as she slowly slid her hand between his trousers and him. Christine's eyes widened as she felt what really makes a man. She became aware of a warming sensation in her lower abdomen and her breathing became heavier.

Her hand was coming upwards when Erik grabbed her hand and almost forced it back down and began to, in a way help her fondle him. Christine quickly caught on and nearly smiled at the pleasure on his face when she looked at him, but was focusing on keeping the pleasure too much to even think about that.

With a growl Erik pinned Christine against a wall and threw he hands over her head, kissing her with a savage sense of being. She felt the air leave her lungs as he back his the hard surface. His fingers began to quickly work the laces on the dress and hers worked his small buttons on his shirt. Flinging off the dress he glared at the corset, chemise, pantaloons and stockings. At once he attacked the corset and Christine worked his shirt off of him.

His lips went to her neck and she pulled him closer, clutching the nape of his neck. The corset became loser and Erik's mouth came upon the tops of her breasts. Finally when the hated piece of clothing came off…

"Majesty!" Someone rapped at the door and the two looked at each other in disbelief.

"Yes?" Erik out, hoarsely. Christine fell into his chest with a heavy sigh.

"The ambassador for Imquili is here for your conference."

"Thank you Madame Giry!" His eyes closed as he felt Christine's small mouth work on his neck. God she was a quick learner. "Tell him I will be there…"

"Yes, Majesty?" Madame Giry said after a while of Erik not finishing.

"Soon!" He breathed out.

"Yes, Your Majesty." The voice seemed to go away.

"Christine." Erik sighed, and when she did not stop he pulled her gently away. She had innocent look on her face, but her eyes remained slightly devilish. "I have to have this meeting."

"I understand." She looked down.

"We will continue this soon." H nodded and lifted her chin up. "Very soon."

"Erik." Her voice was small and shy, very un-Christine like. "I must admit that I… I am not experienced in that ways of… this so I… I'm…"

"There is nothing to fear." His lips touched her forehead and he embraced her. "You are everything that I could possibly want and so much more." He chuckled a bit. "You are much different when you are not in public and provoked."

"Well," She looked up at him. "I am not exactly dressed for public, besides I told you that this is not my area of expertise."

"I have a feeling that it soon will." He kissed her and quickly got fully dressed and presentable. "If this meeting could wait it would."

"Oh really?" She crossed her arms and stood menacingly in her chemise and leggings. "What is so important about it anyway?" Christine knew she sounded like a nagging wife, but at the moment she did not care. She wanted something, that she did not know that she could want this badly, and something that she could not name. But by God she wanted it now, not latter.

Erik kissed her again before walking to the door. "The troops we need are in this ambassador's country."

* * *

"Majesty." Meg approached her in her room as she was putting on her robe. 

"Yes?" Christine looked at her and saw a deep concern within the depths of her eyes. "What is wrong Meg?"

"It's the princess." She sighed. "She is sick again and has been calling for you for the past hour."

"Why did you not tell me sooner?" Her mind hissed the reason but she ignored it and started to go to Cecile's room.

"I couldn't find you." Meg bit her lip as she followed. "But she was in worse shape then, so it is better now that you see her."

"What is wrong with her?" She opened the door to the room and went in. The room was dark and the smell of sickness reached her nostrils. In the middle of the great bed lay an unmoving figure. Christine kneeled besides the bed and stroked the small girl's sweaty hair.

"Just slight stomach flu." The young woman answered. "She should be better within seven days."

"If it is only a slight one, why would it take seven days?" Christine questioned. "A slight stomach flu should only take three days at the longest."

"Because as you know the princess is never really in good condition." She paused. "Her Highness was asking also for the king, would you…"

"He is in a meeting." Her voice came out in an almost whisper.

"Thank you, Majesty." Meg left.

Christine sighed and took a washcloth from the cool water on the side table. She ran the wet, icy cloth over the hot exposed skin trying to keep her temperature down. The girl's breathing was even and she seemed somewhat at peace. Her eyes caught the sight of a bowel next to the girl's bed and noticed it thankfully empty. Cecile began to cough and Christine positioned her over the bed's edge. The small girl's stomach emptied into the bowel. After she was finished she looked up and saw what she knew as her mother. She smiled and put her head back down on the pillows.

"Would you like some water?" Christine signed to her. The girl shook her head. "You should have water."

"It will make me sick again." The girl complained.

"You need only a little." She helped her drink from a glass that was sitting on the table. "There."

"Where is father?"

"In a meeting." Her eyes noted how tired and worn out the girl looked. "He should be here soon."

"He doesn't have to come." Cecile sighed. "I just wanted you."

"Do you want anything?" Christine was touched by her words and fell in love with the girl even more.

"Can you sleep with me?" She asked. "Father lays me on his chest to sleep but he is not here."

Nodding Christine climbed into the girl's bed and Cecile moved towards her so her face was lying on her chest and her arms were around her. Christine slid her own arms around the small girl and became comfortable, despite the strong smell that went throughout the room. Within minutes both had fallen asleep.

* * *

"Majesty." Madame Giry came towards Erik as he left his meeting. 

"Where is Her Majesty?" He asked.

"She is in the princess's room." She answered.

"What is wrong with Cecile?" His lines in his forehead became apparent.

"She has a slight stomach flu." At once Erik was flying down the hallways to his daughter's room. A little worried about both of his women. Worried about the one that was sick and worried that the other would get sick. He arrived and was about to swing open the door, when Madame Giry stopped him.

"You must be quiet Majesty." She warned him and let him enter.

Erik smiled at what he found. He saw that both had fallen asleep with Cecile clutching Christine and Christine being the motherly type that had her arms wrapped around the girl. Silently he crept to the bed and lay down besides his daughter and placed his hand on Christine's. He watched as her eyes fluttered opened and she smiled sleepily.

"How did the meeting go?" She whispered.

"The troops are being released to Liren." He smiled. "They should be there within the next week."

"Good." Her eyes drooped. "I suppose I shall have to learn latter."

"You are doing perfectly right now." His hand squeezed hers and soon they were asleep.

* * *

I updated somewhat on time! Props for me! Anyway I hope that you guys got some EC action that you wanted and it was somwhat good. SO please review and tell me what you guys think!

EV


	16. A New Journey

"Mother?" Cecile signed to Christine as she sat eating her chicken broth.

"Yes?" She took a sip of tea sitting next to her.

"Am I ever going to get a brother or sister?" That stopped Christine from sipping her tea fully.

"Perhaps." Her hands set down the tea making sure it did not shake. The question was totally out of the blue. "Why Cecile?"

"I always wanted to be a big sister." She shrugged.

"Well, one day you will be." Christine nodded. "But first your father and I have to deal with many things."

"You mean the war in your country?"

"Yes." She did not know that the little girl kept up on that sort of thing.

"Do you ever miss your country?" Cecile asked innocently, but Christine began to feel a sort of loss once the mention of the war started. She did miss her country; she missed the smells, the feel, everything about it.

"I do." She answered carefully, "But I am happy here."

"Why don't you go back and visit?"

"I suppose it is dangerous now." Christine shrugged. "Besides I would have to leave you and I could not."

"We could all go." The small girl began to get excited. "You, me, and father!"

"It is dangerous now, Cecile." She gave her a stern look. "But maybe we could when the war is over."

"Then I can have a brother or sister, too?" Her eyes widened.

Christine just laughed. "That may be pushing it."

"Erik?" Christine turned to him as they sat at the piano and listened to him play.

"Yes?" He kept playing.

"I miss Liren." She said quietly.

"We will go." His shoulders shrugged. "Perhaps after the fighting, it would be safer."

"I would like to go now." Her eyes pleaded with his, the playing stopped and he turned to her.

"You know it is dangerous to even speak of traveling to Liren now." He sighed. "There are so many things that could happen while just going to Liren, and then once we get there, there is the fighting and everything."

"My people need me Erik." She took her hand in his. "I am not asking your permission, I am asking if you want to go with me."

"Christine." His head shook. "It is too dangerous. The path to Liren will undoubtedly be filled with troopers or militia. Then you must deal with the fighting once you arrive."

"I know the back roads to Liren, very well." Christine told him. "I am going to take them; the question is whether or not you will come with me."

"What of the duties here?"

"Borswan is not under attack." She rolled her eyes. "The affairs that need to be dealt with are not difficult. Let Madame Giry keep an eye on them. You do not have to come with me, Erik."

"What of Cecile?" His eyes grew soft. "She cannot travel, especially now and to Liren."

"I know." Her hand drop his and she got off the bench. "I will miss her, but I will see her when I return."

"And if her illness becomes worse?"

"Are you trying to bring guilt into my heart so I will not leave Erik?" She turned on him furiously.

"It is too dangerous to leave!" He stood. "They are probably waiting for you to go! We cannot underestimate him, perhaps it is a trap!"

"My country needs me!"

"Your family needs you!"

"I will see my family when I return!"

"What if you don't return?" He shouted, and the room became silent. Christine looked down. His eyes closed for a moment, collecting him self and then opened, speaking much more calm. "I could not bear to lose you, Christine. Cecile could not bear to lose you. Both countries could not bear to lose you. If you leave, you know that Plantne will look for you. They will hunt for you. Even the back roads might be filled with troopers. I know you want to be there for your country but…"

"I have to go." She looked at him, tears threatening to spill. "My father saw the start of the country become what it is, and I promised that I would make it better. I am not traveling in a carriage I am traveling on horseback. I will take the safety precautions you want, but I will not take many guards, my ladies, or anything, only enough to last the journey." Her hands went to his bare cheeks. "I promise that I will come back."

"Dead or alive?" His voice was cruel and he dropped her hands.

"Alive." Her eyes narrowed at him. "Or would you rather have me dead?"

"Christine!"

"Listen," She sighed. "Either you are going to support me or you are going to be angry with me. Now which would be easier?"

"Which would make you not go?"

"I am going either way."

"Then I guess I have to go with you." He shrugged.

"What?" Christine was a bit taken aback, happy, but a little confused.

"I have to go with you." He repeated.

"Really?" She smiled.

"Yes."

"Thank you!" Her arms went around his neck and she kissed him. "You have no idea how much this means to me!"

"Well," Erik moved his hands lower on her waist in a suggestive manner. "We have to continue our lessons somehow."

"Majesty." Sorielli approached Christine as they and Meg packed her bags.

"Yes?" Christine asked, looking over some of her toiletries.

"Must you leave?" She asked quietly. Christine turned to the blond and saw that she had tears in her eyes.

"Sorielli." Her arms went around the girl. "I will come back I promise."

"Some promises are not kept." Meg said softly, as she tucked another item in Christine's small bags. The queen beckoned one of her friends into her other arm, which Meg willingly took.

"I will come back." Christine smiled.

"Why can't we come with you?" Sorielli begged.

"You have to stay here." She sighed. "Make sure that things are kept going how they usually go. Stay alert for things out of character, or meetings taken place. Do not let others know what you are doing. I want to be kept updated of the going on's around Borswan while the king and I are gone. But do not send any letters, unless they were very urgent. I am I understood?"

"Yes, Majesty." They both nodded. Going back to work each one kept to their thoughts until Meg turned to Christine and let a small smile grace her lips.

"So, Your Grace." She smirked. "How do you plan to keep warm on the cold nights to Liren?"

"Blankets." Christine shrugged. "Perhaps an inn if we are lucky enough."

"And if all else fails?"

"I don't know." She looked at the girl. "Why do you have a suggestion?"

"Oh nothing." Meg shrugged. "Just…"

"Meg." Sorielli sent her a warning.

"I am sure the king would not mind sharing a little body heat with you." She finished.

"No, I am sure he wouldn't." Christine giggled with the other girls.

I am horrible at updating this story! I have the chapters written I just needed to send them into my beta, who has run off somewhere to I do not know where, BUT! I have a new beta! Thank you to everyone who wanted the job! I am so grateful to have you all as my readers! And I noticed, as I read the replies to the beta job that I am not very good at getting back to you on reviews and for that I am very sorry I will try to be better. Again thank you everyone for taking the time to sit and read my stories.

EV


	17. The Journey Begins

"A tree?"

"No, it is not a tree."

"The grass?"

"No."

"The sky?"

"Christine, the sky is not green." Erik sounded angry, but had a twinkle in his eyes.

"I know," She laughed. "But I was running out of things to guess. Can you please tell me what it is so we can stop this ridiculous game?"

"It was the willow tree."

"We passed that ten minutes ago!"

"I know." He shrugged. "I was trying to make it difficult."

"You always make it difficult." She mumbled.

"That I enjoy doing."

Christine looked at him. "You are in a good mood."

"Would you rather have me grumpy and unsociable?" His mood darkened a bit, for play.

"No." A smile came to her face. "I like when you are like this, it makes me a little calmer."

"What worries you?" Erik pulled his horse closer to hers and they rode a little bit closer to each other.

"I have told you a million times what worries me, Erik." She sighed. "The war, the people, the country, money, and… Cecile."

"Cecile was fine when we left." He assured her.

"Yes, but what if she isn't when we arrive home again?" Her eyes became distant; leaving Cecile was beginning to get to her. She had actually thought that it would not this hard but obviously, it was. "I would not be able to stand myself if she became sicker after we left."

"She will be fine." His hand reached for hers and touched it gently. "If need be, then we will go home immediately."

"I know." They stopped speaking for a moment before Christine giggled a bit. Erik gave her a strange glance. "I suppose this is our honeymoon."

"I suppose it is." He smiled a bit, and suddenly it became very quiet between the two.

"Too bad there are guards around." She looked at the two in front of them and the two in back.

"Why is that a problem?" His brow lifted and she just looked at him. "Right."

-

Christine walked around the village that they stopped at to rest up a bit. No one looked at her, bowed to her, or even paid her any attention. Little glances here and there, but other than that nothing. Although she was glade that no one recognized her even in the peasant clothing. Erik stood behind her with a ragged cloche that covered his head. She shook her head at him, but understood why since there were not many masked men traveling around besides the king. Despite all that, she found a great freedom in no one recognizing her. No one judged her on what she wore because everyone basically wore the same style of clothing.

She looked at the tiny knick-knacks being sold in the stalls at the market. Picking up one of them, she saw it was a little porcelain fish. It looked sweet and innocent with the miniature golden fins and great blue eyes that stared up at her.

"I will give you two loaves of bread for this fish." Christine bartered with the vendor, as she pulled two loaves of bread out of her sack.

"Make it three." He smiled at her.

"Deal." She returned the smile and gave him the bread. "Sir, do you have some hay and a box I could wrap this in?"

"A present for someone?" His wobbly body got off his seat and looked around for the hay and box.

"My daughter actually." Her eyes softened, and the man noticed.

"I'll give it to you for free then." He took the fish gently from her hands and waved away the bread. "My wife has more than enough food at home."

"But Sir…"

"No buts." The vendor gave her the boxed animal as soon as he was done. "I insist! My children are far too grown up for them to let me give surprises like these any more. Surprise yours and that will be my payment."

"Thank you, Sir."

"You're welcome."

-

"You are spoiling her rotten." Erik began to ready himself for bed, the moment they entered the room at the inn.

"It is just a small little trinket." Christine shrugged and took off her cloche. "It is not like you have not already."

"How many more days till we arrive in Liren?" He asked as he began to take his shirt off.

"Four, I think." She looked around the room, anywhere but at his bare chest. Even though Erik's taunt muscles were very nice to look at with a small dusting of hair on the top.

"How many more towns?" Sitting on the bed he took his shoes off.

"Perhaps two." Her eyes stared shamelessly at his back looking over a few scars here and there but those made him, in a way; perfect. She noticed that he sat on the bed. She stared at the bed letting her mind wander a bit, unfortunately, she did not notice him stand up and look at her with a slight smile on his face.

"Christine?" He called.

"What?" She suddenly snapped to attention.

"Do you not like the pattern of the bed?" His brow lifted, obviously humored at catching her staring at him so blatantly.

"I was actually just admiring the detail." She retorted and moved about the room readying her self for bed. Erik smirked at her comment and went about doing the same thing.

As they settled down Christine noticed that there was only one bed, and that one bed was really only big enough for the two of them. It was not big like Cecile's, Erik's, or even her own bed. There was not going to be any room for them to move around or spread apart. In a way it made Christine excited for she would have an excuse to be in his arms, but at the same time she was nervous. What if he expected something of her right now? She knew that they were going to have to eventually consummate the marriage, but she really did not want it to be here.

Erik noticed the conflict and decided to just lie down. "Goodnight, Christine."

She looked at him, almost in surprise, but decided to just lie down next to him and get into his arms. Smiling contently, she let out a yawn. "Goodnight, Erik."

-

"We shall go through the mountains," Fredrick, their guide spoke as everyone prepared the campsite.

"Are there not enemy scouts in the mountains?" Christine looked at him.

"The enemy is everywhere we are." He shrugged. "Scouts are very clever, they can spot anything ten miles away."

"The forest would be safer to pass through." She finished the last tie to the tent. "The mountains have too many loose boulders."

"And the forest has too many leaves."

"I trust the leaves more than I trust the boulders." Her eyes had narrowed at the man that was obviously not use to having a woman command him.

"Majesty." He turned to the king. "The mountains would have fewer scouts."

"The forest would have just as many I suppose." Erik shrugged. "But Fredrick who was that man you were speaking to on the street yesterday?"

"My cousin, Sire."

"Really?" He lifted a brow. "The family resemblance was inexplicable then. Funny how he wore gold and green under his cloche, the colors of Plantne." The man fell silent and Erik rounded on him. "Tell me, Master Fredrick, how much is the Viscount paying you?"

Again, silence.

"What is in the mountains?" Erik demanded.

"Scouts."

"How many?" Nothing. "How many!"

"A dozen or so." The man swallowed.

"In the forest?" Erik questioned, Fredrick was afraid to even take a false breath and everyone around him stared in fascination and horror.

"Only half of what is in the forest." He answered, and then closed his eyes. "Please Sire, I have not told him anything!" The young man began to beg and Christine looked at him in disgust. Erik just stood there, seeming not to care. "I swear he knows nothing!"

"He knows nothing?" The king stared at the man.

"Nothing." Fredrick nodded, seeing just a bit of hope.

"I hoped you were paid well."

"What…"

"Take him in the forest, kill him, and let his body be eaten by the wolves." Erik waved him off as the man protested and the guards rounded on him. "And if there is any suspicious between the rest of you, you shall share the same fate."

-

_Yes I know I am horrible at updating. But I am going to try extra hard to update this story every week! It is my new resolution! Please tell me what you all think! And of course thank you to my beta for telling me to update and checking (you guys should really thank her). Anyway thank you for reading and please review it helps get me going!_

_EV_

_PS I am soooooooooooooo sorry about the wrong update that was my fault and was not meant to be there! _


	18. Under the Starlight

Christine let herself immerse into the cool water of the river. It had been a long five days and there were still two left. She enjoyed the way the water let her mind clear itself and it rebelled by becoming bothered with images of her and Erik. Opening her eyes, she tried to make them go away, but they did not budge. Cursing herself, she dipped her head into the water.

Truthfully, she was scared to do anything. She was afraid she would disappoint him. Of all the things to be disappointed about! So many things to worry about and that was practically the top of the things on her list! God she was becoming a fool! Just then, she felt something slip in beside her and came up from under the water.

"Oh, Erik." Her arms went around herself as she slid deeper into the water and sat there.

"I hope you do not mind." He looked around them. "I thought that perhaps…"

"No, not at all." She said quickly. Silence surrounded them for a while.

"Gable said that we may get to Liren quicker," Erik spoke. "Perhaps a day and half. We would be arriving at night, but…"

"That is good." Her head nodded. "It is better that no one sees us."

"We should have done this earlier." He uttered quietly.

"Done what?" She looked up at him quickly.

"Visited Liren." His brow lifted. "Are you positive that I am not upsetting your bathing time?"

"Yes, I am positive." Her eyes went down, he lifted her chin up.

"I am going to go back to the campsite and wait for you." He kissed her lightly on the lips and began to get out. She turned away and he shook his head.

Christine turned just a bit and saw exactly what her husband looked like just before he began to slip into his clothes. He glanced at her and she quickly looked away, blushing profusely. Erik just sighed and walked away towards a well-covered patch of bushes and went behind them, sitting against a tree and looked out between the leaves at his wife for a moment. She was looking where he had walked away and began to swim out just a little bit. Shaking his head Erik went to the small campsite.

* * *

Erik sat with Christine in-between his legs as they stared up at the sky. They sat there quietly; all the men had fallen asleep in their tents as the king and queen, sat by them selves enjoying the stillness of everything. She rested her head on his chest and listened to the steady beating of his heart.

"Is it good?" Erik heard his wife say quietly.

"Is what good?" He questioned.

"Making love?" That was even quieter than the last.

"It is." He answered. "But it would be even better with someone you loved and cared for."

"You cared for no one you made love with?" She asked.

"No." His head shook. "Cecile's mother and I never shared anything other than Cecile."

"And Arabella?"

"She was only a mistress." He answered plainly. They sat in another silence for a few moments.

"I am worried." Christine whispered.

"Worried?"

"Yes." She nodded. "What if I am like Cecile's mother or Arabella?"

"Christine." His hands turned her gently to face him and cupped her chin to look up at him. "You will never be like Cecile's mother, or like Arabella. You have a heart that neither of them possessed, or possesses."

"And you have a heart that does not deserve me in it." Her hand touched his unmasked side and stroked it gently. Seeing the disbelief in his eyes, she was quick to reassure him. "You truly are a good man, whether or not you believe it, you are. You are a good father, king, and husband. It would have been a blessing with the second, but for some reason I have all three. I love you, Erik."

He kissed her then. Erik was not sure how else to put his love into anything else other than that. He knew it was a simple thing, but soon it led to something that was much more than he expected from Christine in the middle of the forest. She kissed him back with a force that he could not believe and pushed him back till he was lying on a rolled up blanket.

Her hands gripped his neck, begging him to be closer to her. He responded by suddenly flipping her on her back, making her let out a small gasp. She gripped at him, letting his shirt become un-tucked and fumbled with a few of his shirt buttons. Erik slowly began to pull her skirts higher.

"Erik." She gasped, feeling his hands move onto her thigh and towards her center. Suddenly something snapped as a finger slipped inside of her. "Erik, the men," She whispered desperately.

He pulled his finger out of her and she felt an unexpected disappointment. "We should stop, then." His breathing a little labored.

Thinking for a few minutes, Christine pulled him down for a deep open mouthed kissed. She was pleased when she heard him give a low moan. "Let's not worry about the men right now." Her plea was quiet yet strong, as Erik began to kiss her fiercely again.

She gave a satisfied gasp when he once again slipped one finger into her and then her body shook when he slipped in another. His long, talented fingers began to move within her and Christine experienced something that she never had before. The wind left her lungs, and she was gaping for air like a fish, as her eyes rolled back in her head and fluttered shut.

Erik smiled down at her as he carefully slipped his fingers out of her, noticing her finish. He gave her one last kiss before moving to the side of her, while she just stared up at the stars, not exactly knowing what to say.

"That was not making love." She stated.

"Yes."

"You did not get any pleasure." Her eyes were staring at the stars.

"Not true." He turned to her. "It gives me pleasure knowing that I can give you pleasure."

"Are you patronizing me?"

"Not at all."

"Do all men do that?

"Not all."

"Erik." She finally turned to him. "I am glad that you are one of those men that do."

-

Christine quietly led the men through the darkened streets of Liren. They all had dismounted from their horses and were now simply walking around in the deserted streets. She could only see a small amount of the streets but noticed that they were a little cleaner than when she had left.

Some of the houses were still cracked and worn. The streets still had a few random bones lying spaciously throughout the road. There were not any lights on in any of the houses. A small dog was lying by a house; it looked up and then put its head back down on its bony legs as they walked passed it, notably too tried and too weak to warn them off.

"It is only ten o'clock at night." A solider commented, quietly to another beside him. "And everyone is asleep?"

"They do not have any money for worldly pleasures like Borswan's people." Christine replied to him. "Each family lives off of only what they can get, but it looks much better than last time I was here."

"Better?" One looked at her.

"Yes." She took another look around her. "The streets do not have as many bones, and some of the houses have been somewhat restored."

"What was it like when you were younger?" Erik came closer to her.

"People did not go to bed at ten o'clock at night." A small smile came to her face. "Not even the country people. But the war came and everything went to hell after that."

"Excuse me, Your Majesty." Gable said from behind. "But what is it like in the country now."

"I remember it being not very much better." She nodded. "The people there have space to grow the food they need, so they are not starving as much. Although they are always simple people."

Again, silence came between all of the people as they stared at everything around them. Christine knew that none of them were used to such meager standings, but they all took it in stride. She knew they were shocked of how the people of her country lived, and they also knew who caused it, which was a somewhat of a relief to her.

As they, all turned the corner they all stared at the great palace of Liren. It was not at all like the one in Borswan, in fact it was white with, what seemed to be flaking gold inlay showing just a small amount of detail. The palace resembled that of a Greek Temple, with columns on the top of the steps and as they climbed the steps, they came to a door and saw a single person standing at the door.

"Majesty," A woman unknown to Erik greeted them. "I am afraid I have some bad news."

-

_We are in Liren! And I have to clap for you guys because you gave me ten reviews and the inspiration to get the chapter done, and on time! So you have my thanks! Anyway please review and thank you for reading, oh and should I bump this up to a M rating? I'm really bad with the rating system, so info please! And thanks to my beta, who has to deal with me and everything else!_

_EV_


	19. Liren

"Kat," Christine did not want to discuss anything right now. "Show everyone their rooms and we will meet at eleven thirty to converse, understood?"

"Yes Majesty." The woman nodded towards the others. "Follow me." The men all moved to the inside of the great white palace, but Kat stopped and turned to her queen. "It is very good to have you back Christine."

"Thank you, Kat." She smiled as they all stepped in. The group of men with Kat went one way, while Christine and Erik began to go another.

Everything was very dark. None of the torches that hung on the wall were lit, only the moon's quiet light made it possible to see. The palace itself was bare, it was not elaborate in anyway. There were not any paintings on the wall, or any decorations at all and nothing that could compare to the beautiful exterior. The walls were simply stones.

"We sold all of our precious artifacts." Christine noticed Erik looking around at the bareness of everything.

"You had to." He noted softly.

"Once," She sighed. "Liren was known for its art, its culture, now we are struggling to live because of the mistake of two people."

"It will be great again." Erik nodded. "You even said there was progress in the streets."

"A few less dead bones." They stopped at a door and she turned to him before she opened it. "This is our room." She opened it.

Indeed, it was visibly plain, but it was beautiful. Erik could only imagine what it looked like at in its prime. Flecks of golden decoration hinted on the walls. The curtains, although little ragged were made out of fine fabric. There was a fireplace with two chairs facing it, a small table in the middle. The bed was a deep blue that matched perfectly with the room.

They dropped their bags on the chairs and Christine flopped down onto the bed. Erik just smiled down at her, for one she actually looked somewhat peaceful, her eyes closed and a faint smile on her lips.

"You're happy." He stated quietly.

"For the moment." She sighed and pushed herself up to a sitting position. "Tonight begins the real work and I, for one, am very exhausted from our journey."

"Lady Kat is waiting for you." He found it very odd that the woman that greeted them did not refer to his wife to her title.

"She is always waiting for me." A fond memory came to her. "Why not make her wait a little longer?"

"Christine…"

"I know." She sighed. "We can wait. We can always wait."

* * *

"Christine you do no know how good it is to finally see you," Kat hugged her queen and released her and curtsied to Erik. "And of course, His Majesty."

"I was not excepting all of you." Christine looked around at her most trusted advisors, six in all including Kat were there and one was missing. "Jane is missing."

"That is what we must speak to you about." Daniel stood up; his blond hair scraped the tips of his eyes. "Jane is missing and has been for three days."

"Three days?" She asked, hoping it was a cruel trick.

"Our reports state that she was taken." Jake spoke dark reddish hair with warm brown eyes, and a kept, short beard to match.

"By whom?"

"Plantne." Kat answered. "We do not know exactly where she is, but she could be with the troops that are coming towards us now."

"Luckily she did not have any plans with her or any letters." A young woman by the name of Beatrice spoke.

"Then what was she doing out?" Christine asked.

"She was going to search for you to warn you of the spy traveling with you." Kat nodded. "Luckily it seems that you caught him."

"Indeed." She rubbed her temples. "Is there any other news?" Silence descended upon them and Christine's head shot up to look at them. "What news is there?"

"We have not received word from Borswan's troops." Jake threw a glance towards Erik's dark figure standing off to the side in the shadows.

"Of course you haven't." Christine huffed. "Their _King_ was not here yet. The only people that Borswan trust are themselves and even then the trust is loose."

"But will they be coming?" Daniel fiercely questioned.

"Yes." Erik's voice shot through the small meeting room, and everyone eyed their strange, new king.

"There is your answer my friends." Christine stood from her seat. "I call this meeting to an end; it has gone on far enough. Tomorrow we shall meet at one, right after lunch."

They all nodded in agreement and removed themselves from the room. Erik watched silently as the last person piled out and shut the door Christine sat back down in her seat. She placed her head in her hands and her shoulders began to shake. He slowly went over to her and came down to her same height. His hands gently turned her around to face him.

Her eyes were slightly red and circles were beginning to form under her eyes. She looked utterly exhausted and depressed. A sigh escaped her as more tears rolled down her cheeks. Erik brushed his hand along her cheek. Leaning into it, she caught her hand with his and they stayed like that for a while, just letting the moment stay there in silence and memories.

"My people will die because of me." She was trying desperately to hold in the tears and he just listened. "I killed Jane."

"You did not kill her." His head shook and stood, watching her. "They are loyal to you."

"I should have killed Borgia." Her tears rolled swiftly upon his hand. "When I walked in the doors I could see the men and women lying there, on the floor bleeding, and their blood filled the air. It could be that again." She closed her eyes, for a moment's peace. "How? How did I ever let it come to this?"

"You had no choice."

"But I did! Look at this!" Christine suddenly stood and began to walk around the room, which Erik began to notice that it was a very large room with a table in the middle, but strangely enough, there was enough seating for more than a hundred people. Seats were all around there with stairs leading up to a row of seats. He saw columns line the outside and he assumed that more people could sit there.

"This!" Christine snapped him from his thoughts. "Was the Delegates! We planned everything here, passed laws, and the people would come and sit there," She pointed to where the columns were. "They would listen and if one was brave enough challenge us! Now, what is it? Seven people meeting together and deciding if the country if even going to survive!

"Seven!" Her eyes flashed. "This place once filled eighty people! Eighty! And now I am afraid to even choose others from my country because they may betray everything we worked so hard to build again! Why!" She sat down on the cold stone ground and whispered, "Why?"

Without any explanation, Erik went to her and bent down to pick her up. She was not asking about herself or him or Plantne or Borgia, she was asking of her people. Why did she care for them? She wanted to know why she cared. Erik knew why and he loved her all the more for it. He held his sobbing wife in his arms and whispered to her,

"Because you have a heart."

* * *

_WOW! I'm actually updating on time again! I really hope that you guys like! Please review!_

_EV_


	20. Their Queen

"The reports said that we can do nothing but wait." Daniel sighed.

"Cannot we raise our own troops?" Jake questioned.

"If the reports say wait, we will wait." Christine leaned back in her chair and listened to the discussion. From seven in the morning this is what they had been doing, speaking of war. Of course, she received the reports of Liren and was even surprised that the mortality rate was down by a few points, but even with the bit of good news, the bad news shadowed everything else.

"What if they do not come?" Vincent questioned, another man that was sitting on the Delegates.

"They will come." She looked at him and then around the council, which had become quiet. "You all doubt me?"

"Not you, Christine." Kat shook her head.

"We doubt your husband." Beatrice answered, softly. "Our concern is Liren."

"Is that not my concern also?" Christine sat up a little straighter when they did not answer. She was very happy that Erik was with her at the moment. "Everything I do is now being questioned? Have I been a poor queen?"

"You said…" Beatrice began, took a deep breath and began again, "You said that… that you would come back right after you married."

"I did." She nodded. "And I am very sorry that I did not but can I not have somewhat of a normal life? Can I not live as a wife for a while?"

No one answered.

"God help me if I was a little selfish!" Her voice resounded around the huge room and she stood up. "God help me if I wanted to know the man I was married to! I thought that you would understand, I told Jane to tell you..."

"And she did." Vincent spoke. "But you are also our queen."

"Do you call me _Queen,_ Vincent?" She questioned, calmly. "Did I not ask that we call each other by our given names? Yes, I am your queen if you so give it, but I hope that you can make your own choices, or is that not why I left you all in charge?"

"We did not mean to offend." Kat looked at her. "But you did say you would return."

"I have." Sitting back down, her eyes roamed theirs. "Let us not dwell on things of the past, for we are at war and I would like to assure all of you that the troops are coming. Is there any other news?"

"You're Majesty!" Someone burst into the room, she recognized it as one of Erik's messengers, and he bowed. "There are troops are just over the horizon! They're here!"

"What troops?" Her heart began to quicken. "What colors are they flying?"

"They are the colors of Plantne."

"We must evacuate the people now!" Kat was the first to speak.

"Bring them up to fight!" Jake answered.

"We must face them."

"They will all die!"

"At least try!"

Christine stared at the poor messenger who had given her the message, and calmly recalled his name.

"Henry." She quietly said. "Please tell the king that I would like to see him in our chambers after my meeting."

"You're Majesty." He looked around and said in an even quieter voice. "The king is sitting at the top of the room behind the columns."

"Thank you, Henry." A small smile lit her face. "That is all."

He left, and she turned to look up at the darkened area and took notice of a white mask peering out from the shadows. He was her dark protector, or as she like to think of him; more of an advisor.

"Christine."

A voice called her out of her daze and she looked at all the people that were staring back at her.

"What are we going to do?" Vincent asked.

They all waited in reply, and for the first time she realized that, yes these people were her friends but even though she relied on them to take control of the country and oversee everything; they still viewed her as their queen. They would always view her as their queen.

---

Christine sat, looking out the tower window. She could see that in the distance there were fires being built along with tents. The blue and silver of the Plante flag waved freely in the wind. Other than the threat of an invasion, the night was beautiful. Bright stars glistened in the clear skies and the moon was as bright as the sun.

"They will come." A deep voice said from behind her.

"Yes." She sighed. "But will they come soon enough?"

"I do not want to promise you that." Erik came up beside her, wearing only a simple shirt that was unbuttoned at the neck.

"So you do not think they will?" Her eyes followed him as he sat across from her at the window seat.

"I want to tell you they will…"

"But you do not know for certain." She leaned her head against the wall and looked down at the town below her. "You know I used to sit up here and watch everything come alive at night. People would laugh and shout from the streets, but as I got older, they grew quieter. Soon they became silent; there was not any more shouting or laughter."

His finger brushed her cheek lightly, and she leaned into it slightly. He cupped her cheek and felt the soft skin beneath his hands. "I cannot promise you anything," He said quietly. "Because I am afraid what would happen if I were to break that promise."

"Can you promise me one thing Erik?" She questioned staring at him.

"That depends." He smiled slightly.

"Will you stay beside me forever?"

"Christine." Erik drew closer to her. "I promise that I cannot be near you at all times, but I can promise you that I will love you forever and there will be no one else but you."

"I love you." She whispered and kissed him softly.

"So do I." He leaned his head against hers. They stayed like that for a while, until she spoke.

"I am tired." Christine looked at him, and he noticed that she looked exhausted. Bags were slowly forming under her eyes in the moonlight and her pale complexion had grown to almost a ghastly white. Her eyes were beginning to loose their spark. Yet she still was his Christine, and still beautiful.

Without saying anything, he picked her up. The king and queen made their way towards their room. Every turn, each hallway was empty and every turn Erik became a little unsteady without all the guards. He was very use to having someone watch his every move and everyone else's, but here there was nothing. There was nothing to protect you if someone came in the night for blood.

He carefully opened the door to the bedroom, noticing that she was asleep and did not want to wake her. Quietly shutting it, he moved into the room and set her down on the bed. Standing there, Erik wondered if he should relieve her of her clothes. Of course, he had seen many a woman bare but this was Christine, it was different.

"Go ahead." He looked down at her now awake form staring at him. The simple two words set his body aflame.

Erik took a seat on the bed beside her and began to unravel the dress piece by piece. First, he ran his hand ran up the length of her arm and to her shoulder, then down to her waist. Supporting her back, he lifted her upright and laid her head on his shoulder. Her hot breath was on his neck, sending a sweet sensation down his spine. He started on the laces and untied them, savoring this close moment. The moment was silent, and only for them.

Supporting her again, he helped her out of the bodice of the dress and discarded it on the floor. Then lying her back down on the bed he moved to her skirts, and loosened the tie on the skirt and eased it off of her. She lay before him in only her corset, chemise, and pantaloons, simply watching him with the utmost interest. Erik shook the thoughts that were beginning to build in his mind away, knowing that this was not the time for them.

Christine felt her breathing grow shallow once he gently picked her up again and placed her head back on his shoulder. She closed her eyes as his fingers unraveled the ties to her corset. Breathing in his spicy sent her body came alive and she kissed his neck tenderly.

Erik stopped when he felt Christine's lips on his neck and looked down at her. She lifted her head and stared back at him, something in her eyes aroused him. Her almost pleading look became his undoing. Leaning in he captured her lips a soft but coaxing kiss and she responded with certain eagerness. Their lips opened to allow the other access to their mouths. They savored each other's taste and moaned hoping to encourage.

Dropping her corset left her with a small amount of space between them. She felt herself dragging them into the bed and he held her closer to him. Her willing fingers quickly undid his tiny buttons to his shirt and that soon joined the floor too. Christine rush returned to her when her hands felt the taunt, bare muscle and the weight upon her. He broke away from her lips and traveled to her neck. Her eyes closed and she gasped.

Erik fondled her breast, and nipped at her neck. Lifting the chemise up he looked over the beauty that was his wife and went about trying to make her believe that she was everything to him. He noted the way she moved with him and the noises she made, and they made him love her even more. Her little soft gasps and moans made him believe that she wanted him and he loved it. He quickly returned to her lips and his hands came down to the lining of her pantaloons and she looked up at him.

Their chest rose and fell with the other as they looked into the other's eyes. Christine whole body, mind, and even her heart wanted more. She did not want to stop and gave a simple nod. With that nod, he slid down the pantaloons and threw them to the side of the bed and looked at her with love and adoration. She was bare in all her glory.

"Erik." She called to him, feeling slightly self-conscience the way he was staring at her.

"You are so beautiful." He whispered to her.

Giving a faint smile, she pulled herself up to meet his lips and gave him a brief kiss before stroking the unmasked side of his face and then frowned upon the masked side. Her hand fell on it and he closed his eyes when he felt the air rush to the now bare skin and heard the mask fall to the floor. She kissed him again and touched the marred side.

"You are beautiful." Another small smile lit her face. "Unique and beautiful."

Erik knew she was not lying to him and gave her a kiss to show how grateful he truly was to have her in his arms. She opened her mouth to allow him nearer to her. His hands were everywhere and she gasped at every touch and every sensation.

Regaining her own senses, Christine came to his pant hooks and felt him peering down at her. She fumbled a bit with the hooks but she got them off and looked at what she had wondered so much about before. Her heart began to race and she glanced up at Erik, with a questioning gaze.

"We…" He began.

"No," She shook her head. "I want to." A breath. "I love you."

"I love you too." He kissed her with enough passion to make her forget everything that had once been coherent.

She became nervous when she felt his length travel closer to her, and her eyes suddenly opened when he was just about to enter. Erik knew she was nervous but he wanted to show her, what love really could be like, and what lovemaking felt like. That it was good and not painful, but knew that for now it would be. He tried to distract her with nibbles and kisses, but her body was tense and knew that it would hurt more if she did not relax.

"Relax," He whispered in her ear. "The pain will ease."

"Not soon enough." She mumbled.

"Do you wish to stop?"

"No," She insisted, and grabbed his neck. "I love you and I want us to be one."

"We are already one." His hand stroked her cheek.

"Just do it Erik!" Her hand tightened on his neck and she tried to relax.

Quickly thinking of what could relax her a bit; he slid his fingers into her. She gasped and felt much more relaxed as he worked his magic. Gently pulling them out, he moved in and kissed his wife with all the passion he had and plunged into her hoping that the pain would be over soon.

Christine felt the air leave her body and she felt pain, but not enough to make her stop. Erik just wanted to plunge into her again and again, but for the moment was quite content with the tightness that surrounded him. She then moved a bit and he moaned.

She kissed him, hoping that he would take the hint that she was fine and the pain was over. He did and replied better than before. They began their own song, their own dance through the night as they learned the secrets of their bodies.

Everything felt so good at the moment, and Christine began to feel a familiar sensation building up. She wanted more and more. Erik moved hard and faster into her, and her body begged for release. And soon she felt the thing that she longed for wash over each tremor of her body. Erik soon followed and the two spent and tired lay there for a moment.

His head rested beside her, with his arms still around her. Her head was next to his and her arms around him. And that is how they fell asleep, in each other's arms content, well spent and above all, loved.

* * *

_Well I hope its not an m rating because I noticed the reviews getting smaller since I asked if you guys wanted me to go up to an M rating and I'm not sure if this is considered an M rating anyway. But good news... I updated and its a longer chapter! Thanks to my wonderful beta and to the great reviews that keep me going and thanks to the readers out there that keep reading! Please review!_

_EV_


	21. The Morning

The night that had come so swiftly was now just leaving and the moon and stars that once lit the sky were now fading, and allowing the rising sun to shine brightly on a country that had once shone as bright. Peddlers and craftsmen slowly awoke to the sun's early rays and began their daily work; hoping for a better tomorrow in the city. The enemy camps in the distance slept in, for they did not have any need to rise so early and they were sleeping off last night's feast.

One man that sat upon the city's high gates rubbed the night's sleep off his eyes and stood up a little straight. He tiredly looked out towards the enemy's camp and glared at them as if they could see him. Then becoming bored with the nothings going on there his attention turned to the side of a hill that seemed to have something move on it. His eyes strained to see what was on it. A man ran towards the gate with every amount of speed he had. For some strange reason the man on the gate delighted in the fact that someone was probably up most of the night, much like himself, but doing something much more strenuous. As the man running neared, the man on the gate called down to him,

"What is your need sir?" He asked.

"I have a message to the queen and king!" The man replied. "It is urgent!"

"What sort of message?" The guard became unsure of the man below and was very loyal to the people he was protecting. He had been taught all his life to hold a certain candle towards the crown and the country of which he loved.

"The troops from Borswan sir!"

* * *

From the time she fell asleep to the time she awoke, Christine was happy, despite everything that was happening around her; she was happy. Perhaps it was the fact that she had woke in her lovers arms, completely bare, or maybe it was because of what happened last night. A faint blush lit her cheeks as she recalled the events that occurred. But she knew it was because she knew that she was truly loved. That everything that she once thought about marriage, about love, and about leadership was wrong.

She woke in the same position that they had fallen asleep in and she felt a small smile come to her face as she looked at the man that lay beside her. For the moment, he looked peaceful in the early morning's light. His ragged and ravaged side was bare for all to see, but only she saw it. To her this was so much better than waking by herself with only maids to see to her needs. She wanted to see his face every morning, bare and open like this, to feel his body heat radiate to hers, to feel his arms hold her and keep her safe.

Carefully her hand reached out to touch his face. Her fingers ran over the bumpy and rough counters of his face and then down to his neck. She smiled at the tiny bruises that were there. Then to his arms which were muscular from fighting or something. His chest and stomach were taunt and well shaped. Suddenly she looked up to see his beautiful eyes flutter open and peer at her.

"Good morning." She whispered.

"It is a good morning." His lips curved upwards.

"I do not wish to rise." Christine watched him.

"Neither do I." He stated, and his arms brought her closer to him. "Perhaps we could stay here like this, for once."

"I would like that." She smiled and tilted her head for a kiss.

"Majesties!" A pounding came to the door and they both separated from the kiss, sighing in agitation.

"After this," Erik rose. "We are leaving for a week to ourselves."

"Sounds perfect." She let her eyes roam over his nude body shamelessly, and smiled suggestively when he caught her. "Perhaps you shall teach me even more about the joys of the flesh?"

He was upon her in an instant. His face was centimeters from hers and his eyes piercing into hers. Her breath caught with his stared and her heart raced, and she became aroused at the aggression he showed pouncing on her like that.

"We have a lifetime to learn what the flesh can do when it is joined by two." And he left her breathless with as quick as he came and went.

The pounding grew louder at the door.

"One moment!" Erik called to the people beyond the door way as they searched and put on the scattered clothes in the room.

"Majesties!" Another voice called. "It is urgent!"

"Just a moment!" Christine sighed as she signaled her husband to tie her dress strings.

"These are much simpler to untie." He mumbled, causing her to giggle. His own heart delighted in the fact that he caused her to make a schoolgirl noise like that.

Both, after dressing hurried to the door and swung it open to see all of Christine's advisors standing there along with a messenger. Their eyes all alert and wide at the door's opening, seeming completely oblivious to everything that had transpired during the night.

"Yes?" Christine questioned all the people standing before her.

"I have a message from the troops of Borswan." The messenger looked tired and nervous standing there.

"And he refuses to speak to any of us about the contents of the message." Jake gave a sigh.

"I was told to tell only the king and queen." The young man shifted his weight.

"The meeting room in fifteen minutes." Christine answered them.

"But…" Jake looked at her.

"The meeting room," She replied, "we shall discuss everything in the meeting room."

* * *

The advisors along with the messenger turned and walked towards the room that they were to go. The king and queen however went back into the bedroom and began to search for new clothes.

"What if it is bad news?" Christine said quietly as she began to put on her new dress. "If they do not come, what will happen?"

"We will try to negotiate," He answered. "Even though it will not help."

"True." She sighed, as she once again struggled with the laces. "Liren could not fight, but we would be able to hold them off for a few days."

"Your army is not strong enough for a few days." Erik began to tie the difficult laces for her. "Perhaps one day."

"The people would fight with everything they had." Her eyes narrowed. "Many wars were won with worse odds than ours."

"It depends on which side you are on." He tied the last lace, and turned her around. "I am not trying to be cruel, Christine. I am only trying to help you choose."

"I know." She nodded. "But I sincerely hope you are not suggesting surrendering to Plante, without a fight."

"I am telling you to keep your options open." His hands placed themselves on her shoulders.

"To surrender would be worse than fighting!"

"If you surrender," He looked at her calmly. "Plante would occupy Liren for only a little while and then we could take it again."

"How long is a little while?" She questioned. "The effects for a 'little while' have lasted for many years on Liren! I refuse to let the people give up hope when they are only beginning to regain it again!"

It was quiet for a bit until Erik spoke, "We should go to the meeting."

* * *

_ I got 10 reviews last chapter! You guys have no idea how happy that made me! Anyway thanks to me beta and every1 reading!!! Please review!_

_EV_


	22. Saved

Christine stared at the nervous messenger. She could see him slightly shaking as he just stood there looking around hoping no harm would come to him. His eyes lowered to the floor and everyone around him had their own eyes on him. No one spoke, for everyone was too stunned by the message that had been sent. They were speechless, for once. She glanced at Erik and saw that he stood there calmly, unmoving. Yet she could tell he had been affected by the message, also.

"By God." Daniel breathed. "We're saved."

The statement was so simple and true. For moment again everyone froze. Then there was a shout that sprang forth from Jake and everyone was caught in a frenzy of joy as they all jumped, hollered, and danced for they all knew that the troops were indeed finally coming to their aid.

"When are they to arrive?" Christine could barely keep her excitement in.

"They were very close when I was last with them." The messenger replied. "Just a few miles from the city, they will surely be here for nightfall."

"It would be wiser if the troops came at night to set up." Erik cut in.

"Plante would be quite surprised." She let herself smile a little, and turned to the messenger again. "When you rested, will you please alert the troops to come at nighttime?"

"Yes, Majesty." The young man nodded.

"Do not let Plante hear of this." Erik spoke. "If they catch you, tell them that the troops from Borswan are not coming, understood?"

"Yes, Your Majesty." He nodded again and left.

"They're coming." Christine whispered as she stared at the place where the messenger had just left and then she looked at her husband. "Thank you."

"There is no need to thank me." His head shook. "I…"

"You are making hope possible." She smiled and looked around at her counsel, who looked eager to please and eager to sleep. "You all may go home till the troops come tonight!"

------

"Christine?" Erik opened one eye to look at his wife.

"Yes?" She smiled, also opening an eye.

"Sleep." He simply said.

"I can't." Her voice whined just a bit.

"Sleep." His eyes closed again. "Otherwise you will fall asleep at the meeting tonight."

"But I cannot sleep." She sighed. "The sun is at high noon and I can barely wait till sunset."

"If you sleep the setting sun will come quicker." He reminded her.

"I am not a child." Her eyes narrowed.

"I know."

"Then why are you treating me like one?"

"Because you are acting like one." He looked at her. "Sleep."

"I can't!" She whined, and then glared when he gave her a knowing look. "Fine."

They lay in silence for a few moments, until Christine sighed and sat up.

"I can't sleep!" She threw her hands up.

"I know what can help your aliment." He looked at her from his laying position, with a lifted brow.

"Really?" She returned the lifted brow as she turned to look at him. "What?"

"This." His hand pulled her down and she gave a laugh as he pulled her beneath him.

"That will most defiantly not make me tired." She giggled when his lips nipped at her neck. He pulled away to look at her and his hand slid up her chemise.

"When I am through with you." He smirked. "You will be."

-------------------

Erik stared at his wife, who was sleeping across from him. She seemed peaceful for the moment as the sun was setting on her features making them seemingly orange-red. He knew that she was exhausted from everything that was currently happening and what had currently happened, but she was not one to show it in front of others.

His fingers grazed the top of her cheek softly. This woman had changed everything he had seemed to figure out. It amazed him. She had shown him that women were indeed their own person, that standing up for something you believed in and would do anything, though foolish, was the right thing to stand by, and she had shown him what he had denied so many times over; love.

Her eyes fluttered opened, she smiled sleepily at him, and stretched against him, making him shiver slightly with the contact.

"Have you heard anything yet?" She questioned.

"No." His head shook. "But we should get ready the General will want us down there as soon as he arrives."

She just nodded and both rose and began to dress. They were quiet; no noise was uttered as they stumbled for their clothing that was left in varies places. Each was contemplating what was going to happen or what was actually happening.

A knock came to the door, and Christine hurried over to it and answered it.

"Majesty." A messenger quickly bowed. "They're here."

------------------------------

Christine surveyed the man in front of her. He was a gruff looking General with close knit eyes that were brown and almost had a passionate, fierce glare in them. His physic was well maintained, and his hair was brown with flecks of gray coming out.

"General Phillips." Christine nodded to him. "It is an honor to meet you, and may I also say that it is a God send that you are to run this campaign against Plante, thank you."

"You are welcome, Your Majesty." He said with a heavy accent, that she could not place, and bowed his head to her. Soon he turned to the King and began to speak in a language that Christine only heard twice perhaps just once, but then it shocked her to find Erik replying in the same sounding language with ease.

She stood there waiting and listening intently for any words that she may find familiar, but none came out of the foreign speech. She glanced at Erik and noticed how he rolled the R's in the words and let her mind wander as the men spoke of something. Quickly she snapped herself out of the daze and began to concentrate on what was going on.

"Excuse me." She interrupted, what seemed to be a semi-heated discussion, both men turned to her. "I would like you to speak in a tongue I would understand. I am terribly sorry but…"

"Yes, of course." Erik nodded and glared as the general murmured something under his breath. "We were discussing tactics."

"His Majesty does not think that attacking at night is a fair option." The burly man said in annoyance. "I say that the enemy is asleep, let us attack now!"

"And kill most of the men?" She questioned. "The troops are exhausted, let them rest and tomorrow they may ravage the land."

"I do not need a woman to interfere with Borswan's men." He glared at her. "You are dismissed."

"She may stay." Erik said in a deep demanding voice. "This is her country and she deserves to know what may happen to it. You will not give orders to the Queen, am I understood."

"Yes, Your Majesty." His eyes rested on the king instead. "But I am only doing it because she may become faint with this talk of blood and war."

"General Phillips." Christine lifted a brow. "I have seen my share of blood and war, a little more will not kill me. Proceed with your plan."

"If we do not attack tonight." The general spoke, but it seemed almost in regret. "Then tomorrow the men will face their foes and more will parish then."

"You cannot send exhausted men to fight and kill." She contradicted, which he did not seem to enjoy. "If we attack in the morning then they will be rested and will be able to think clearly."

"These men are trained to fight whenever the call is heard." Erik uttered as he sat down in a chair, expecting a long night ahead. "They do not require sleep."

"How long have they been marching, General?" Christine questioned.

"For four days straight." He answered.

"They must rest then." She stated in a final say. "Tired young men have never done any good to any country."

The General looked over at the King skeptically, but Erik only nodded his consent. "Order them to rest, General and tomorrow continue with the plan of attack."

"Yes Majesty. I will see you tomorrow at dawn then." He bowed his head to them and strode out.

"Are you finalizing the plans for tomorrow?" Christine looked at him.

"I am going to make sure that the men are well suited and prepared for the confrontation." His shoulders moved slightly.

"I am coming with you then."

"It is dangerous, Christine."

"I believe I have handled worse." She smiled and then noticed him look away. "You are doing something besides that, aren't you?"

"I am fighting along with them."

"Oh." Her breath seemed to stop for a moment. "In the back?"

"No, that is not where the…"

"No." She appeared to be in shock, "In back, you must be in the back."

"I am the King and I will be in front just as all the other battles I have fought in."

"What other battles?"

"Over twenty." He touched her cheek and she yanked out of his grasp. "I will be fine, do not worry."

"You knew this all along and you never told me." She was quiet.

"I knew you were going to react."

"So putting it off to the last minute is better?" Her voice began to rise. "This is not a game, Erik, you could die!"

"I know." He nodded. "But I will do my best to not die."

"You cannot do this!"

"I can." His manner was calm, almost alarmingly calm. "It has been done before."

"You cannot die!" She felt tears rising up, but did her best to hold them back. "You have no heir! You cannot…"

"You will rule, if I die." Erik stated. "But it is an 'if' and not for certain."

"Those men are out for blood!" She declared, tears threatening to spill over the thresh hold. "Erik, I cannot do this alone right now!"

"Christine..." His arms went to go around her, but she stepped back.

"No, I do not need you to tell me pleasant know nothings to calm me down!" Her finger forced into his face. "You cannot leave me alone!"

"This is something I must do!" His body started to shake with rage. "Whether you accept it or not is your choice, but come to terms that I must protect your country and mine."

She felt the tears that had been suppressed for so long begin to travel down her cheeks and she went to him. Her smaller arms went around his waist and she buried her head in his chest. Erik sighed as he enveloped her in his own arms and held her.

"Wars do not last a day." She murmured.

"Unfortunately, no." He agreed.

"Will you be out there every day?"

"Yes," His lips touched her forehead as a new onslaught of tears traveled down her face. "I will do my best to come back to you."

* * *

I am sooooo sorry for the long wait, but I have a good excuse! My family is crazy and decided to stay for a while so I was not able to use the computer for anything!!! Anyway here is a new chapter! Finally. Enjoy! Please review and thank you!

EV


	23. A Queen's Thoughts

Christine walked into the old throne room of the palace. It was dark and only the sun that was rising in the distance lit the large spacious room. She noticed that the walls that once had been lined with mosaics were missing a few pieces here and there. The gold flecks on the ceiling were chipping and some of the stones that were lined in the ground were coming undone and wobbly. Pillars that held the ceiling had small cracks in them and traces of blood were upon them.

Her eyes settled on the throne itself. Nothing really separated it from everyone that would have been standing in the room, if it were full. It consisted of two chairs, one for the queen and another for the king. They looked exactly alike and the detailing in the wooden cravings did not differ. A long red rug led from the doorway to the two thrones.

Silently, she began to walk towards the throne on the red rug, imagining the room alive again. She saw people dressed in elegant clothes, standing, awaiting the news of something great. They chatted adamantly as they waited, and some noticed her walk in they nodded and waved. Her mind's eye then caught sight of her husband sitting at the throne which she was heading for. She saw him give a slight smile as Cecile climbed into his lap and also smile at her. For that brief moment, she was happy again, but it faded all too soon, when she arrived at the throne chairs and noticed no one was there, that it all had been a daydream.

Sighing to herself, she eased her way into one of the throne chairs and sat back lazily. She rested her head in her hand, which sat on the armrest of the chair and let her mind become blank and unworthy of a thought for the moment. Her whole being was tired, exhausted even. She could not sleep after she made love to Erik that night, knowing that he would be gone the next morning and might never come back. He was asleep when she left him to wander about the palace hoping to find some peace.

The army, she knew, was beginning to prepare for their upcoming battle. All those men, no boys, where preparing for what could be the last day in their brief life. She wondered if they knew of love, hope, and happiness. Yet at the same time, her heart filled at the way the army was ready to fight for her, a queen not well liked amongst the people of Borswan. She knew it was duty, but they could have resigned the army, so they must have cared to some extent. At the moment, though, all she could feel was dread.

"They fight for their family and honor, Christine." A voice, from the entranceway, said quietly. "They will fight well for the same idea."

"And you?" She questioned, lifting her head from her hands to look at her husband who was carrying his armor. "What do you fight for?"

"I fight for my people, you, Cecile, and everyone else that I protect." He strode towards her evenly.

"You are carrying much weight upon your shoulders."

"It is what a king must do." His shoulders moved slightly. "The weight is often bad, but I would not change it for the world."

"A king does not have to fight."

"A king that does not fight is considered a coward, and without honor."

"So it is all about honor now?" Christine let out a short, bitter laugh. "All you men think about is honor!"

"Would you want to be married to a coward? A man whose values are as low as the dirt upon which you walk?" Erik questioned, and she did not answer.

"You may not come back." She whispered, lifting her redden eyes to his.

"No," He shook his head. "The men that are fighting with me will not come back. I will."

"You cannot be so sure." Her breath came out shakily. "For if you are too sure then it will not happen and I could not bare to lose you."

"Christine." His hand held her hands and he kneeled before her. "You will never lose me and I know that I will come back to you. And on that night that I come back to you and Liren triumphs over Plante, I will hold you in my arms and I will not let go until you order me to."

"Just promise you will come back to me." She let out a small smile through her tears.

"I promise." And he kissed her.

* * *

Madame Giry noticed how quiet everything was around her. Cecile slept silently in her bed. The maids' gossip had slowed to almost a halt. The people were not rowdy, and the meetings in the House of Nobles were equally as quiet. She did not trust the quiet for the shadows are much more dangerous than the daylight.

Walking down the corridor she heard whispers coming towards her and she stopped, quickly she went in-between a crack in the wall. She held her breath and waited for the voices to come closer.

"That queen has our king wrapped around her little finger." A male voice complained. "She could tell him to allow women into the house and he will do it in a heart beat."

"I will give her her beauty, but I highly doubt anything else." Another commented.

"The king has to be pleased with her to rid of Arabella."

"Yes," The one man mumbled. "This woman has made him loose his senses. He is no longer a fit ruler!"

"I would not go as far as to say…."

"Can you not see it?" His voice rumbled within him, making Madame Giry shutter. "If this so called queen makes our king change the country's ways then we will go into chaos! This will damage our lands, people, and money, everything we hold dear! We must find a way to peaceful switch to a new, fit ruler."

"This is no longer my forte sir." The other man said gruffly. "Good day to you."

Madame Giry leaned against the wall, wanting to poke her head out to see the culprit responsible for such blasphemous words towards the royal family, yet she could not move in fear that she might be discovered. She knew that she had heard that voice before. She waited for a while, until the footsteps faded, and went to her quarters. She must tell the king and queen of this treason being spoken.

* * *

Christine still had not moved from the former throne room, as she rested her head in her hand, covering her closed eyes. She felt tired and yet she could not sleep. Her mind felt weary, but she could not stop the thoughts that flew in and out of her intellect.

In the distance, she could hear the battle cries and men being wounded. She shook her head at the thought that it could be Erik. True he said that he would come back, but would he come back dead or alive?

"Christine." A soft voice broke her from her disturbing thoughts.

"Yes, Kat?" She lifted her weary head from her hands.

"The wounded," The young woman started. "Where do they go?"

"Do you have the medical on call?"

"They are here, most of them from Borswan." She confirmed. "We just need to know where to place the wounded."

"Place them here." Christine shrugged. "Bring as many as we can to care for, offer them a pay of a thousand lin."

"Christine." Kat looked at her. "We do not have a thousand lin to give."

"By the end of the war." She stood. "We will. Now bring in the wounded and the medical. Oh, and Kat?"

"Yes?"

"Is Beatrice down in the field?" A small smile came to her face.

"Of course, Christine." Kat returned the smile. "Who else would we have sent to be down there?"

"That will not work either." Beatrice waved off another plan of the General Phillips' plans. Erik smiled in amusement, as his general seemed to be at ends with the petite blond, who was wearing men's clothing.

"Then, pray tell," The General, sneered. "What will work since you have deemed all my plans irrelevant?"

"Surround Plante." She said simply.

"That would be too difficult." He snapped. "They would spot us easily."

"Not during the night." Her voice never wavered from the sweet and innocent sound, but it held strength within it, which Erik admired for one so young and a woman. "Plante goes to bed at nightfall, they do not stay up latter than midnight. Their watchmen sleep while they are supposed to be spotting, that is why you were not attacked when you arrived in Liren."

"How long have you been observing them?" Phillips asked, impressed, but refused to show it.

"Since they have arrived." She nodded. "Liren likes to keep track of her enemies. But if we set up for attack during the night they will never notice."

"And if we run into a scout?"

"You will be able to kill them. Plante is also very bad at noticing who has died in their troops." Beatrice rolled her eyes. "They are not a very good army, and can easily be demolished. Although, they are excellent when it comes to the actual fighting."

"But an army must be well kept in organization." His eyes narrowed.

"I agree." She nodded. "Luckily Borswan has the advantage. This should not be a difficult war to win."

"So what are your suggestions for tonight's set up?" He asked as though he did not care.

"Well…" The remainder of the time was the details of how they would attack in the morning. Erik smiled to himself, noticing that perhaps change could move swiftly and silently without many noticing.


	24. New News

"Jake, bandage him!" Christine ordered from her spot as she wrapped another injured solider. As soon as the fighting had started, men had been flying in one after the other, cut, wounded, and bloody. The current one was bleeding profusely from the abdomen, a deep slash, but luckily, the medic on Christine's right said that he would be all right.

Christine wiped the sweat from her brow and gazed across the vast sea of the injured and dying. She sighed heavily noticing how young they all looked, how all wanted that glory to be the next general or colonel. They were just mere boys, most not above the age of twenty. Getting up, she cleaned her hands of the new blood on her already dirtied dress.

"Majesty." A medic approached her, quickly bowing to her.

"Yes?"

"Does Liren have a medical center at all?" He asked, knowing the answer already, but hoping it had changed in the past hour.

"No," She shook her head. "The old one was destroyed in the last war and is only half finished with repairs."

"What exactly needs to be done?"

"Too much." Her hand waved it lazily away. "It would be of no use to these people, they would probably have worse chances going there. The palace is the cleanest place in Liren."

"How are your medics trained then?"

"Did you happen to notice the age of the men and women working?" She questioned. "They were trained at the now ruined medical school."

"Majesty, I hate to be rude but…" He bit his lip.

"Liren is horrible." A little smile came to her face. "I know. The country itself may need to change, but the people are making it possible, little by little. Now, did you need me for anything else or would you like to comment further on the state the country is in?"

"More volunteers?" The young man sounded hopeful.

"There is a line outside the palace letting them in." She nodded, and placed a hand on his shoulder. "Do not worry, Dr. Mitchell, I have faith that you will be able to help many of these men. That is precisely why my husband hired you to be here."

"Majesty." He had a faint blush upon his cheeks. "I actually signed up to be here."

"Oh," Christine smiled. "Then, thank you. You do not know how much that means to me."

--------------

"It could work!" Beatrice sighed in frustration. "They have been fighting since six o'clock this morning when they noticed our men staring them down!"

"My men are exhausted!" Phillips threw his arms up.

"Now you decide they are exhausted!" She stomped her foot. "What about yester night? Were they not exhausted then too?"

"It was different." He shrugged. "We were simply traveling, now they have been fighting a war that they do not wish to fight!"

"I understand." Her head nodded. "But you must understand that we could have the army surrounded and attacked tonight, there will be many deaths, but the fighting could be over sooner and the ones that live may go home to their families."

"Yes but…"

"General." Erik went towards the man that he had entrusted his army. "May I remind you that it was your idea to attack at night?"

"Yes sire." The man nodded.

"And may I remind you that the sooner we finish the fighting the sooner all of us can go home and be at peace?" He stood his ground while the general stood there and thought for a minute.

"Women should not be involved with war." The general muttered. "They are too aggravating." He walked away into his separate part of the tent.

"Majesty." Beatrice looked at the king. "You know that it is much more dangerous at night, yes?"

"This is not my first war, Beatrice." He smiled kindly at the young woman. "I know the risks."

"Yes." She bit her lip. "There will be no one to cover you; this is not a frontal attack. If you become injured, no one will know until morning..."

"I am a little stronger than you think."

"I do not doubt your strength, Sire."

"My knowledge then?"

"No."

"What is it?" He questioned.

"I doubt if you know the true cause of this attack." Her sweetness disappeared and somewhere appeared a strong person. "Liren once was greater than Borswan, greater than any country. Plante can only have two motives for attack; one is to return Liren to greatness but only for the benefit of Plante. The other is to completely destroy the country and leave everything in ruins."

"I know that." Erik said sincerely. "I do not want that to happen to Liren, and I know that Christine does not want that either, this is for her, all for her."

"But sire." She licked her lips, uncertain how he would take this part of the news. "If Plante somehow wins and conquers Liren, by law and order, Christine will be forced to be wed to Plante's ruler no matter her circumstances of marriage."

Erik did not have to contemplate the thought, for a messenger rushed into the tent.

"They're coming!" The boy panted out before suddenly dropping to the floor. The others rushed over to him. "There's more!" He moaned rolling on the floor; a small stain of blood had accumulated there.

"I'll get a medic." Beatrice quickly hurried out of the tent.

"What do you mean there's more?" Erik asked.

"Plante troops." He gasped. "There's more on the way!"

"What is that noise?" Phillips came into the tent rubbing his eyes and noticed the boy on the ground, hurrying over to the sight.

"There are more troops coming." Erik told him.

"Where are they coming from?" He questioned.

"From the West." The boy answered. "They're coming tomorrow night!"

Beatrice hurried back in with a man following her and he quickly attended to the boy.

"Is there anything else you need to tell us?" Erik quickly questioned, kneeling down by the boy.

"There are a lot of them." He winced as the medic began to clean his wounds.

"How many?"

"Twenty thousand men."

"Take him to the palace," Erik told the medic. "Make sure that he has the best care there."

The medic nodded and left, carrying the boy out of the tent. The three people left in the room looked at each other.

"Liren has five thousand men standing by." Beatrice spoke quietly.

"Pull three thousand of them and have the rest on the wall." Erik walked over to the map and began to study it.

"Sire perhaps…." Phillips began.

"No, General" He looked at the man. "To win a war you need hope, do you have hope General Phillips?"

"I do not, Majesty."

"Then I suggest you get a good night's rest, you will need your strength for the morning." Erik nodded the general away and turned to Beatrice. "We need to attack from the top..."

"Our bows are not that strong." She shook her head.

"Borswan brought extra," He answered. "They will be handed out tomorrow morning. Now I need to know how to beat them."

"Strength, cunning." Her shoulders shrugged. "They have fifteen thousand extra men, Majesty that is too much. Plus we lost about five thousand already."

"Beatrice," His eyes pleaded with her. "Liren must beat Plante, I will give it no other choice. I cannot have troops come now, for it will be too late when they arrive. Tell me how I can beat this bastard of a man."

"For one he is not a man." She sighed. "Two, this will not be easy."

"Since when is a war considered easy?" He questioned.

"True." Beatrice nodded. "Now the men…."

* * *

Sorry for the long delay! The holidays got in the way and everything else, anyway I will return to a pattern shortly. But thank you all for hanging in there and reviewing!

EV


	25. War's Price

"What do you mean there's more?" Christine felt her world spinning, she had only slept three hours in the days that the fighting had started and they were beginning to catch up with her.

"They are preparing now." Jake nodded. "Everyone that can fight and is able is going to the lines."

"And the king?" She questioned.

"Christine." Kat came by her side. "His Majesty must fight, he feels a need…"

"Damn need." Her voice came out in a throaty whisper. "Damn this fight." She wiped the tears that had become loose and were trickling down the side of her face. "Well," Christine cleared her throat. "Let us fix the rest of these men so they can either fight another day or live a day to see their families."

The two nodded and left her.

Christine wiped angrily at the other tears that were streaming down her face. She wanted so badly to curse at the heavens for giving her an idiot for a husband. Her eyes caught sight of the tents and small people coming out of them by the camp for the soldiers. Everything seemed so tense, and her heart raced. He could die, she kept thinking, he could die and I would never love again.

She watched as one man, seemingly, stepped out of the big tent and appeared to look at her. More tears came down her face as she felt a gentle breeze blow the curls that had sprung loose. For some reason she whispered,

"I love you."

The man below still stood and seemed to watch her closely. No movement came either one as they just sat staring. In that moment, she felt a little bit warmer and a little bit calmer.

"Majesty." Someone came through the door and into the room.

"Yes, Dr. Mitchell?" Christine wiped the remaining tears from her face and turned to face the man that had just intruded into the room.

"The volunteers seem to be suiting up for battle." He seemed puzzled. "Even the women. Majesty, women are not allowed…"

"They are." She nodded.

"But they will be killed," His voice was a little urgent. "It is proven that women's bodies are not…"

"I know, yet men are not the ones who pass something the size of watermelons through their privates." Her brow lifted. "Do not try and stop these women they may beat you worse than a man."

"But, Majesty…"

"They will do what they wish," She looked at him. "This will not be another discussion of what women can and cannot do, am I clear?"

"Yes, Majesty." He quickly bowed and left.

Sighing, Christine sat in her chair and covered her eyes, trying to quickly fall asleep, hoping it would be over soon.

"Christine," Another voice called out to her.

"May I just a moment of peace?" She whispered quietly to herself, and lifted her head to see the person standing in front of her, her eyes widened. "Beatrice? What are you doing here?"

"I have a message." The woman handed her a folded note. "It is from the king."

"What?" Her heart began to race and she stood to take it, walking over to the window to get better light, she began to read it, all the while speaking in rushed sentences. "Is he alright? Has anything happened?"

"He knows." She said softly as she watched her queen read over the letter.

"No." Christine shook her head and then looked at the young woman across from her. "I cannot do this."

"Christine…"

"Tell him I could never do this." She held up the letter, in an almost furious motion.

"Do you want to…"

"No," Her eyes stopped Beatrice from speaking any further. "Tell him that I cannot do what he asks, if this instance should occur."

"And if he asks why?" She questioned, not really understanding what this was about.

"Say to him," she thought for a minute and she smiled for the first time in weeks. "It is because of honor."

-------------------

He hated war. He hated the way it ruled people's minds, he hated the fact that it tore friends apart, and he hated seeing another die because of someone else's words. It was a brutal act that he knew would never cease because of pride.

His arm worked the new armor that he had put on and decided he was satisfied with all that covered him he stood. He walked to the main entrance of the tent and noticed Beatrice standing there staring at him, her armor on as well.

"You are going to fight?" Erik questioned her.

"I am to lead the army of Liren." She pondered for a moment. "I gave the queen the letter you wrote."

"Indeed."

"She said that she could never do what you asked if that instance should occur."

"Of course she would." He almost smiled to himself. "Did she give you a reason why?"

"She said it was because of honor."

Erik sat down in the chair and put his face in his hands. He began to chuckle, which soon burst into laughter.

"Majesty?" Beatrice asked cautiously. "Is everything alright?"

"Yes." He said as his laughter subsided, and he stood regaining his composure. "Now, let us go and fight for Liren."

"Yes sire." She smiled and followed him out to the field, where men stood lined up and ready.

The soldiers stood at attention as the officers and king got on to their horses. Beatrice got on her horse and went beside the king.

"Sire," She looked at him. "What did you say to Christine in the letter?"

"In short?" He watched her nodded. "I told her she should go back to Borswan in case I fell."

"Majesty," Her forehead creased. "With all due respect, you should know better."

"I may be a king, Lady Beatrice." A small smile appeared. "But I am also a man."

"That is true." She smiled.

"Do not tell Christine I said that."

"Worry not, Majesty." Her smile widened. "I will not tell the queen something that she may have over your head."

"Thank you." He nodded, and held out his arm, in which she took. "May you ride swiftly and steadily?"

"And may you ride safely and stealthily." She nodded and rode off to the small Liren army to the right. "Alright ladies and gentlemen!" She called to the people. "To the hills!"

Erik watched as the undersized army march to the hills and then turned to his own large one.

"Borswan!" He called to his people. "I know you are tried, hungry, and frustrated because you are fighting for a country that you think is no longer worth saving! You have were taught that Borswan is a strong and fierce country, you have been taught to regard other countries as territories or something that Broswan will conquer soon.

"That is not true! You have been called to protect one of the last countries that could beat Borswan in its prime. Although small and insignificant, it may seem, Liren is a country that will be restored with your help, and will look up to each one of you as a hero.

"You have done your country proud showing that you have the stamina to do anything and may you keep the power that you have shown through out the days. Today is the last stand; today you fight more than is necessary and I thank you."

That day the king of Borswan bowed to his people as they cheered.

----------------

It was quiet there, cold, but quiet. The distance shouting, fighting, and pain ridden rooms were far away from her. Now her thoughts were silenced as she stared out the window of the tall tower.

Her eyes roamed over where the fighting was, it was a long way away, but it was still there. She knew that many men would die because of hurt pride and rueful idiocy. The whole point of war was young men dying for a cause that they only knew so much about. Perhaps they were not supposed to know everything, perhaps they only needed orders, and perhaps they were terrified.

What if they did know that if Erik were to die that she would, by law have to marry Raoul? What if they knew that if she married Raoul that he would become ruler of Borswan? And if marrying her would not make him king of Borswan he would kill her and marry Cecile. Would that change the way they looked at this fateful war?

She stood still and watched as people fell to the ground outside, as they screamed in agony. Her ears did not hear, nor did they want to, they did not want to hear that her husband lay in the dust never to speak, see, taste, hear, or touch again. He would never see his daughter grow to a beautiful and delicate adult. He could die and she would never feel his touch again. But if he did not die, and leave her… a tearful smile came to her lips and she left all her thoughts on that hope.

---------------

Erik ran his sword through another man who fell instantly at his feet. He walked away and noticed a horse coming straight for him, wearing Plante colors. Lifting his heavy sword, he knocked the man off the horse and watched him fall to the ground. Erik picked up another sword from the man that he had just killed and stuck the two swords in the man's face.

"Have mercy on me!" The man shouted as he cowered against the two threatening swords in front of him.

"Under what circumstances?" He questioned.

"It is I!" The man took his helmet off and presented himself. "The Viscount de Chagny!"

"Viscount." Erik's eyes narrowed and backed away for a moment. "Give me a reason not to kill you."

"Lady Jane is still alive." He answered, scrambling to his feet. "Upon my death or word, she dies."

"You will order your men to stop then." He nodded. "There has been enough blood today."

"No, I don't think I will."

"Order your men to stop!"

"Order yours to stand at attention then!"

"You are in no position to speak as such, Viscount." His voice dropped as he gave the man a deadly stare.

"Neither are you." Raoul lunged at Erik, but he successfully parried it.

"You will die if you keep this up Viscount." Erik shouted as they began a vicious battle.

"So will Lady Jane!" He again tried to injure the king but failed again, so he tried a new tactic. "How is she? Your wife?"

Erik refused to answer, and desperately trying not to kill him as he began his outlandish words.

"Does she let you taste her sweet lips?" His words were spiteful. "Does she let you touch her and hold her? Or does she turn in fear and revolt?" Raoul knew he was beginning to hit a soft point as he fumbled a bit as her counterattacked. "Does she know the monster you are?" He had gotten through the strong barrier that had been King Erik as he barely sliced the king's stomach. Erik doubled for a moment, but Raoul took the opportunity to run his sword through the king's calf, making him weaken and fall upon one knee.

"Do her eyes hold fear and regret?" He began more questions as he circled the king and came around to his front. "Well at least have comfort in knowing that she will no longer have to look upon you hideous face, or cringe at your touch. Know that she will smile in pleasure as I touch her, and know that when I kill her that it will be a quick death with poison." He bent down and leaned to whisper into his ear. "But do not worry; I will not touch your daughter until she is at least thirteen."

Erik looked up at the malicious man; he felt the blood rushing to his wounds and began to feel the loss of it. "You will not touch either of them."

"Let me remind you, king." He smiled, and dug a dagger into Erik's shoulder. "You won't be there to save them."

"You will not touch them." He winced as Raoul withdrew the dagger this was too much.

"Really?" His voice held a quip of curiosity but it was false. "Who will stop me?"

"I will." With that, Erik ran his sword through Raoul's abdomen, and Raoul's mouth gapped as he stared at the man. "You will never come near my family again." He moved the sword upward to make it cut through more. "And her lips are not just sweet they are heaven."

Raoul collapsed in a pile as Erik drew his sword from him and made an effort to stand, putting his weight on the leg that was untouched. As he looked around he noticed the men staring at him and Raoul, but they watched as Raoul took his last breath. One soldier from Plante came forth and checked for a sign of from the Viscount.

"He's dead." He said, and looked to everyone around him and shouted, "The Viscount is dead!"

"Majesty!" General Phillips came forth and looked to the king. "Liren troop destroyed the reinforcements from Plante! Liren has won!"

With that, Erik fell to the ground next to Raoul, barely hearing the troops as they gave a cheer throughout the field.

* * *

Its long! Life has been crazy and my muse is fading in and out so thank you to those who are baring with me! Please review it helps and thank you!

EV


	26. Beside Me

"Get the wounded to the hall right away!" Christine pointed towards the great corridor, "Hurry, these boys can only hold for so long!"

She saw one of the men limping as he carried in a wounded on one of the fifty thousand stretches they had. Gently she took over and told him to go to the injury room. Carrying the man she rushed down the hallways keeping the person behind her follow her. She entered the room where the agony-ridden men laid, twisted and used. Helping down the soldier she nodded to the one that helped her carry him in.

"Thank you very much." He nodded towards her. She noticed that he was a Borswan man and did not even bat an eyelash at the fact that she was wearing pants. The boy most likely did not know that she was queen. "He's my brother."

"Will his strength return?" Her lips turned into a small smile.

"Majesty," Dr. Mitchell came from behind. "You are needed elsewhere."

"Thank you very much for saving my country." She nodded to the boy's, whose eyes were as big as saucers. Backing away, she followed Dr. Mitchell. "What do you need me for? Is there another who needs distraction as you cut off his leg?"

"It's something like that." His words were short and almost scared.

"I hate war." She said quietly. "We were lucky that it only lasted a little less than a week."

"One son comes home," He agreed, "the other doesn't."

"But it is over." Her eyes narrowed as she noticed where she was going. "Dr. Mitchell are you telling me I need rest by leading me to my room?"

"Majesty," They stopped at her door. "We all need rest, especially you, but unfortunately that is not the reason I am leading you here."

"What is it then?" She questioned, fear slowly started to rise up inside her, penetrating to the surface.

"His Majesty," The doctor swallowed. "The king has been injured."

"How badly has he been injured?" Her heart raced and it took all her self-control not to open the door and see for herself how horribly he had been hurt.

"He has lost much blood, but he should live." He nodded. "The king will live to see another day, but he cannot move for a very long time. His injuries consists of a minor wound in the abdominal area, it is not deep at all; quite superficial. Another in his shoulder where he lost most of his blood since it was very deep, but luckily did not hit any major arties or veins."

"Are there any others?" She asked, wanting to just run in and see him.

"Yes, Majesty," His eyes became concerned as he spoke. "His calf muscle was run threw by a sword. It caused much blood loss and it may never fully heal. Actually the chances are that he may use a cane the rest of his life."

"Could it heal?"

"Unlikely, but stranger things have happened." He shrugged, and put his hand on the doorknob. "He is not awake right now; I gave him medication causing the pain to lessen and him to sleep. It is better if he is not awake for this anyway."

"I understand."

Dr. Mitchell nodded and let her in the room, where her husband lay sleeping. Christine walked quietly towards her husband. His eyes were closed and he lay deathly still. The only indication that he was alive was the subtle movement of his chest as it steadily rose and fell with each breath. His face was the only piece of his body that was showing, and she noticed new cuts on his face: shining because of the medication that was put on them. The face, which always held a mask, was bare and for all to see.

She sat in the chair that was next to his bed, and reached her hand under the covers to find his. It was only slightly chilled, but it was no different than from the hand that she touched before the fighting and death. Glancing over her husband once more she turned her head to the doctor, who was still standing in the doorway.

"Why did you not put his mask back on?" She questioned quietly, her voice dry and heavy.

"The wounds there need to heal." He answered.

"He does not like it when others see his face." Her eyes glistened over, but nothing came from them as she turned back to his ravaged face.

"No one will come in here." His voice somewhat soothed her. "I will make sure of it."

"Thank you." She nodded. "I suppose you need me to…"

"We do not need you right now Majesty." He said quietly. "Your husband needs you."

----------------------------------

"How much longer is he going to be absent?"

"Does he not hear the need of his country?"

"It is that wife of his, gentlemen." A voice calmly stated from the ruckus of the great House of Nobles. Lord Benedict sat in his seat as he watched the other men fight continuously over the issue. "She is the one that is controlling his mind."

"Her country is in peril." Lord Carvie stated. "He is doing what he thinks is best."

"He has abandoned _his_ country!" Lord Halverson stated.

"Liren has won!" Lord Emerson waved it off. "And soon we will get our due in time."

"How much time, gentlemen?" Halverson questioned. "Ten, twenty years? Will we all be dead by the time this said due comes around?"

"Gentlemen," Benedict stood and took the floor. "I think the king has gone too far with his princess from Liren. We must act on it before it is too late."

"And what do you suppose we do?" Carvie looked at treasonous man before him. "Overthrow the king? That will not do us any good. The people love him and feel safe. Our prosperity has exceeded our expectations."

"I did not say overthrow the king." He shook his head. "We must fix the problem that is making the king turn away from his own people, not some other country's population."

"Kidnap a queen?" Lord Kingsly scoffed. "That is ridiculous."

"No, no, no." Benedict narrowed his eyes, seeming to be at the absurdity of it. "I was merely suggesting, perhaps we should take matters into our own hands, privately."

"I don't like the sound of this, Benedict." Lord Carvie shook his head. "As far as I am concerned the king has done nothing wrong…"

"Except leave his country to follow a woman!"

"He has done nothing wrong!" He shouted. "Our king is not ignoring his country! He left his country in the hands of us, trusting us with his country while he was away. You voted to go to war with Plantne! You cannot go back on your word!"

"Not all of us voted in favor of war!" Halverson reminded him.

"No, but the majority did!" Carvie looked at the men sitting around him. "He is our king, and he has chosen a queen, we must respect him for the decisions he makes and support him! And if I hear that any of you are planning treason against my king, then I will happily sit at your hanging!"

He left, leaving the rest behind him watching the door.

"The king deserves better than this." Lord Kingsly stood and followed the path of Carvie.

Many also stood and left. There were a few left when Benedict smiled as he looked around the room.

"These are your new comrades, gentlemen." He spoke to those who were left. "Know them well."

----------------------------

Christine sat by her husband's side. Her head felt heavy and all she wanted to do was lay there with him, just to feel the warmth of his body, to know that everything would eventually be all right. Alas, she knew there was not any warmth of his body to be had for his hand was cold and almost unbearable to the touch. It warmed a little since she took it in hers, but she feared for what the rest of his body would be like. Perchance it could be cold and unfeeling, or maybe too hot and unwelcoming. Whatever the temperature of his body, she only hoped that it would return to normal soon.

She laughed to herself, realizing that she was concerned that her husband's body temperature was not correct. When he was lying there with his beautiful eyes closed and only breathing was the reason she knew he was alive. Sobering a bit she smoothed a hair that had gotten loose away from his face and watching it intently. Her eyes gazed over his face. She studied both sides, becoming familiar with the one that she barely ever saw.

The side of the face that was always open for the world to see was, in a way, perfect, and yet the typical, handsome face one would find on most men. Then she examined the hidden side. It was the side that only she could love. The side that was barely ever shown to any one for fear that it would disappoint and make others turn in disgust.

It was the ravaged side that she fell in love with. The side was imperfect, it was ruined in a way and yet it reflected so much of he was. The king hid his face so no one could fully understand him. He hid his face so that no one would see the crevices where he kept his secrets. Only few would understand anyway, and yet she did. She understood the hardships, even though he rarely spoke of them. Her knowledge was limited about his thoughts because sometimes either they were too far-gone, or because she knew that she would never fully understand anyone. But it was him, she loved it.

Quietly, as if not to disturb him, she climbed into the bed and carefully lay down beside him. Her hand curled around his and her petite body moved to just touch his enough where she could be pleased. She closed her eyes and fell into a dreamless sleep, knowing all the while that he was right there beside her.

* * *

Wow, its been a while! I have been extremely busy and I am so sorry that it took this long. I would have updated on friday but I could not upload this chapter so luckily I found a way to get through. Anyway thank you to those who have stayed with me and any new people, welcome. Next time you will not have to wait this long so don't worry. But again thank you and sorry it took this long! Please review!

EV


	27. Breathe

Her breathing came out in short, throat ridden rasps, each one seeming as painful as the next. Every little breath of her body was strangled and unhealthy. The color of her skin had turn into an ashen shade, and it held small, angry red pox upon the skin. Her eyes that was once full of life, which sparkled when she was excited, were now closed and heavy.

"Most of the country has this disease." Arabella stood a little ways from the woman taking care of the child and watched as the woman tried to control the girl's temperature. "Many have perished that were a hundred times stronger than her, she does not have a chance."

"The king and queen have left me orders to care for their child." Madame Giry did not bother to even look behind her. "And that is exactly what I will do."

"The disease has even carried from this girl to one of your own daughters." She scoffed. "I believed it killed her didn't it?"

"You are not authorized to be here," Her tone was quiet, yet stern, "leave."

"She will not live, Madame." Arabella's voice had become deathly low and dangerous. "The little princess will die, mark my words."

"They are marked, Mistress." She refused to look at the woman, it would have given her too much of an honor. "Now leave."

"What if the king and queen were to die of this disease when they come back?" It was question that Giry did not want to think of, nor did she want an answer. "Who will become the next ruler?"

"Mistress Arabella." Madame Giry maintained her posture and her voice as she spoke. "You are not welcomed here, I believe the king has made it very clear, so I think it would be best if you were to leave."

"Indeed, Madame." She nodded, and turned to leave, but before she was officially out the room she stopped and turned back. "I am sorry for your loss, Madame. Sorielli was a good girl."

"She was."

"I do hope that you do not catch this plague that ravages the country, it would be most unfortunate."

"Thank you for your concern, but surely you must get back to bed before the disease catches up to you." Madame Giry wiped the girl's head with the wet cloth that was held in her hand. "I am sure many men do not want a spotted whore."

"Men want anything that has legs and can move properly." Arabella finally gave a violent cough that she had been holding in. "Good-bye Madame, I pray we meet again."

"Indeed." She nodded, and she rose to close the door, making sure the king's ex-mistress had finally left she trotted back to the girl's bed and mumbled to herself. "I wonder how often she prays."

--------------------------

Christine sat up in bed as she stared at the small object in her hand. The small golden fish that she had bought for Cecile was starring back up at her with the great, eager blue eyes. She smiled slightly as she remembered the beach outing they had once took together, when it was just she and Cecile and Madame Giry, closely watching them. It was one of the peaceful moments that tend to pass quickly by.

"I still think you spoil her rotten." Erik said, as he lay beside her with his eyes still closed. He had mostly recovered from his wounds, all but his leg. His leg was the worst, he could not walk on it until it healed superficially, then perhaps he could test it but there would still be a limp. She knew that he would not live with himself until he walked without a walking stick and a limp, but she proved to him over and over that it did not matter either way yet he was still as stubborn as ever.

"It is nothing huge, just something to let her know that I was thinking of her." She shrugged, placing the porcelain object on the table, she settled down beside him, facing him. "Everything is coming along. Without the threat of war many are returning to the city, plus I have convinced the council to reopen the mines after they have been inspected thoroughly and reported safe. Liren will come back."

"It is because they have such an intelligent and diligent queen." He looked at her from his laying position.

"You are only saying that to improve my self esteem."

"Did I mention she had a body of a goddess and a beauty beyond words?"

"You really want me in all my glory don't you?"

"Oh darling, I want much more than that." His hand moved towards her already nude body and traveled down it.

"Sometimes you are too much." She smiled.

"But you have accommodated me quite well." He moved her towards him so their bodies touched.

"You sir," Christine swung herself over him and sat upon his waist, "are being quite restless, when you should be resting."

"I have rested too much." A low growl came from his throat and his grabbed her hips forcefully. "I am tired of resting."

"You need rest." She moaned as he let his hands roam her body freely. "Much rest."

"Are you feeling well today?" He questioned, not wanting this to go further unless he knew.

"Better than yesterday." Christine looked at him. "But I was feeling much better a moment ago."

"I am being serious, Christine." His brow rose at her, he did not want her throwing up in the middle of them making love like she almost did yesterday. "You were in the bathroom for a while this morning."

"It was something I ate last night." She placed her lips very close to his. "And I will not be fine unless you continue and further this conquest even more."

"Is that an order?" He mocked her.

"It is." Her lips turned upward in a teasing way.

"Majesty!" A knocking came at the door.

"One minute!" Christine sighed as she climbed off of her husband and threw a blanket over him and then scurried around for a robe herself.

"One day there will be a day for us." Erik sighed from his place in bed as he propped himself up.

"Yes, but unfortunately it is not today." She secured the robe and opened the door a crack looking to see Kat looking rushed and eager. "What is wrong, Kat?"

"Its her!" The woman breathed, "Its Jane!"

"What?" Christine's eyes widened and she looked back at her husband who just nodded. Turning back to Kat she asked. "Where is she?"

"She is your old room." Kat answered. "We thought it would be best to put her there."

"Is she hurt?" Her heart began to race as she noticed Kat's demur tone and posture.

"She is."

"How badly?"

"Enough to be dead within the day." Kat sighed. "One of the guards found her outside the walls of the city this morning. We tried to treat her, but there is too much blood loss and other injuries to her are too traumatized. The doctors suspect she was tortured."

"May I see her?"

"I came here because she asked of you." She nodded.

Christine turned to Erik, who just nodded. She looked back to Kat and then motioned for her to lead the way to her old apartments. Upon coming towards the room, she noticed the group of people standing outside, all of them part of the council. They were all waiting for the news of her death. Some had tears unshed, others were turned away, some shoulder's shook, as they were comforted.

Kat took her to the door and opened it for her. Going in, Christine could not see her old friend, because of the person sitting next to her bed. His hand stroked Jane's bruised one that sat on the bed. They were speaking quietly, and seemed not to notice that she had walked in. Standing there for a couple more moments, the man finally noticed her, when he looked at her. Going back to Jane he stood, and kissed her gently on the forehead. Walking past Christine, she lay a hand on his shoulder, they just looked at each other for a moment and tears began to weld up in his eyes and he left the room quickly, closing the door behind him.

"He was never the strong one." Jane's voice croaked out from the bed.

"He didn't have to be." Christine smiled gently, and then noticed her friend's disastrous state. She was not clean or bandaged up; everything was out in the open. Her whole face was recognizable but beyond repair, making Christine wonder how badly the rest of her body was. "You were always the strong one."

"He always said that he cried enough for the both of us." A small smile appeared on her face. "He told me that he will never marry again."

"He will not marry again, you know that."

"Well I told him that I would come back just to hit him to make him." She made a slight movement with her shoulders, and she winced. "I wish they would've just killed me."

"Do not say that." Christine quietly protested. "Otherwise you would have never been able to warn Sam that you are coming back just to hit him."

"Or to tell you that there is Liren gold underneath the palace, that your father never told anyone about." She coughed up a bit of a reddish substance that Christine watched for a minute as she wiped it on the sheets of the bed and then her head shot up in realization of what she had just said.

"What?"

"There is gold in one of the dungeons down below." Jane continued. "There is a passageway that is blocked with rocks, but will be able to tell that it was built up later. If you go through the passage, it will lead you to a room with enough gold to rebuild Liren and start it again."

"How do you know about this?" Christine questioned.

"Your father told me before he died." She explained, through the wincing and the pain. "He knew that those two would ruin Liren, and it would befall you to build it back up."

"Why didn't you tell me before?" Her head began to spin. "I would not have had…"

"Because I knew of Plante's plans to take over Liren." Jane looked up at her queen. "And we needed a strong army." She sighed. "Besides it was about time Liren became equal in the eyes of the people."

"I hope that you do not have any other secrets," She laughed a bit, "because if you do I will have to drag you back myself."

"Do not worry Majesty," Her eyes twinkled. "I have left my secrets among your council. You will know them within years time."

"You never called me Majesty." Christine bit her lip; she refused to cry, not wanting to let her friend see another tear.

"It is time I gave you your due." She nodded. "You are young, but you have ruled well thus far, you make a beautiful queen."

"Thank you." A smile lit her face. "And you were one of the most trusted people that I met and you served your country well."

"I did my best."

"And it was enough." Christine nodded. "You may rest, Lady Jane."

"Thank you, Your Majesty." With that Jane closed her eyes, and Christine watched as her breathing began to slow. The small movement that had been in her body began to fade. Jane became still and unmoving. Her chest had stopped with its steady beats and now she lay motionless.

"Good bye, Jane." Christine whispered, and left the room. Everyone in the hallway looked up at her, wanting to know the truth of the woman inside. But there was one who faded to the background, who stood there with the knowledge of what had happened, it was him in which Christine went towards and nodded. "Your wife, Sir Sam, was the greatest patriot our country has ever seen. I will make sure she will never be forgotten."

"She would not have wanted that." He shook his head. "Her only joy would be for you to faithfully rule Liren."

"Then I will do that." She nodded. "Thank you, Sam."

"Your welcome." With his head held high, he walked back into the room, and shut the door.

Christine turned and walked back to her room with Erik. She found him lying on the bed, asleep. She smirked slightly and undid her robe. Careful not to disturb him, she climbed back into bed and enjoyed the rise and fall of his chest.

* * *

Oh Lady Jane! So many secrets... anyway hope your enjoying the story and I am going to try for a once a week updates, but if I do not update, fear not because I will not abandon this story. Hope you enjoy all of this. Please review and thank you to those who do!

EV


	28. Not Forgotten

"So how are things in Borswan?" Erik sat at the other end of the table, waiting and wanting the news from his home country. His demeanor calm, he seemed happy or excited, which one the person across from him could not decipher.

"Don't you want to know how your daughter is, sire?" It was Meg's strange quiet voice that reached his ears. She looked tired and ragged, unhealthy, so unlike the girl that he knew back in Borswan.

"My daughter," His content aura disappeared, replaced with one of sudden distress and question.

"She is sick, my lord." She swallowed, keeping tears at bay. "She is deathly sick, from a disease that plaguing the whole country. Almost everyone has caught it and most have died from it. My sister caught it and died." Her tone was on the edge of hysteria but she kept it to one of urgency.

"The kingdom is dying, Majesty! There is something going on in the House of Nobles and my mother can only hear bits and pieces, but the nobles are refusing to talk." She sighed. "Our country needs you to come back, we need you to come back and most importantly your daughter needs you."

"She had been sick before." He cleared his throat hoping the girl could not detect the slight frustration there. "Cecile has lived…"

"Excuse me your Majesty." Meg looked on him in pity. "The princess will die. Men and women stronger and healthier than she have died from this disease."

"She will live!" Slamming his fist on the table, he stood suddenly only to be reminded of his leg, in which made him lean heavily on the table. "By God she will live!"

"No, your Majesty." She shook her head, seeming undisturbed by his sudden outburst. "She will die, but she is holding on to see you and Her Majesty one more time."

Erik looked at the young woman in front of him and sat down. She had grown up in too short of time, something was not right. He remembered her from when he would see her dallying with the stable boys when he went for a ride or giggling when some lord paid her a compliment.

The woman now, standing there held no room for the former girl. The way she was looking at him reminded him of her mother. She stood in such a way that he knew that she would end up in her mother's footsteps; she was unafraid of him. He could tell that she no longer held the innocence of months ago. Something was very wrong in Borswan.

"I will return within the week, Mademoiselle Giry." He nodded to her. "You said that this disease has claimed many?"

"Most who have caught it." She confirmed.

"And the doctors have they done nothing?"

"It spreads too quickly and it is of an unknown cause."

"I assume that you are leaving very soon?"

"I will leave as soon as I am dismissed."

"Then when you return tell every doctor in the country to work on a cure for this disease." Erik said. "I want this cured by the end of the month; no more may die from this disease, is that understood?"

"Perfectly, Majesty," She nodded. "It will be good to have you back, Majesty."

"Be safe, little Giry." He gave her a sign of leave.

"Thank you." Giving a curtsy she turned to leave, but the door suddenly opened.

"Meg?" Christine smiled at the young woman's presence and gave her a hug. Then frowned when she felt the shaking her shoulders. "What is wrong?"

"We tried so hard, Majesty." She sobbed. "So hard."

"I know." The queen patted her back as if she was comforting a child, and looked up at Erik who looked distraught and understanding at the girl in Christine's arms, one could only stand so much and one knew when comfort arrived. "Tell me what is wrong?"

"Sorielli is dead, Majesty." Meg gulped another sob, and lifted her pitiful head to look at her queen. "And the princess does not have much longer."

"Much longer?"

"She is dying, Majesty." She buried her head into Christine's shoulder again, wanting very much to be stronger, but could not at the moment.

Christine seemed dazed but held the girl anyway. She looked to her husband, who only looked down. He seemed to already have the energy sucked out of him. All she wanted to do was hold him, knowing that he must be in more pain than she even though she felt like her insides were coming out and being stuff with spikes and glass.

"You may rest here if you wish." Christine said gently to Meg as her sobs quieted.

"No, I must leave." Meg shook her head. "I have to get back to Borswan."

"May God be with your, then." She nodded and kissed her friend on her cheek, watching her leave, closing the door behind her. Christine leaned against the doorframe and looked across to her husband. "I am so sorry, Erik."

"It is not your fault." His voice shook; she had never heard it waver like that before.

"I dragged you here." Her eyes began to dart to places in the room, willing the tears away.

"I had a choice."

"She is dying." She finally gave in to just looking at him. "You warned me, I should have listened."

"No," He shook his head. "There is nothing we can do."

"We could have given her comfort…" Her head started to spin this was too much.

"She is not in the right state of mind."

"I have to give her that fish." Faster and faster the room spun.

"We may burry it with her." A tear slipped from his eye, and she watched as it fell down his cheek.

"She does not deserve this." She knew her words were beginning to slur.

"They never do." Erik watched as his wife's eyes rolled back and she fell to the ground, near the door but not blocking it. "Christine!" He stood, ignoring the pain shooting up his leg and grabbed his cane, hurrying to her. "Christine?" Falling to his knees, he gathered her up, and stroked her hair and began to try and wake her up. "Christine, you must wake up! I order you to wake up!"

She did not stir, and his heart started to beat extremely fast. The door to the meeting room opened, and in walked Jake. He looked down at the two on the floor and was immediately at his side.

"I will take the passageway; you will go the easier route." Jake explained while he got the king's walking stick and gave it to him. Erik nodded and helped himself up, not bothering to argue with him.

Jake picked up his queen and disappeared though a doorway, which Erik had never known was there. Erik opted for the door and hurried, as fast as her could to his and Christine's chambers. He was panting and sweat was running down his face by the time he arrived at the door. Opening the door he found Christine, lying on the bed, with Jake getting a water bowl and a cloth, setting it on the side table. He pulled up a chair and indicated for Erik to sit there.

Trying incredibly hard not to hobble and be completely dependent on the stick, Erik made it to the chair and sat down. He took the cloth and placed it in the cool water then took it to Christine's forehead, letting it stay there for a while before placing it in the cool water again.

"She has been under much stress." Jake finally spoke.

"Indeed." Erik nodded, paying only heed to his bride, who was extremely pale. "Lord Jake?"

"Yes, sire?"

"Make sure our items are packed." He said quietly, but with authority and power. "We will be leaving as soon as the queen is awake."

"Majesty," The man hesitated. "Are you sure…"

"Lord Jake." Erik did not bother to turn to the man. "You may be my wife's advisor and friend, but I am your king and her husband, do not question me when she is lying here. Get Doctor Mitchell in here to look her over."

"Yes, Majesty," He nodded, before quickly going out the door.

Erik repeated the process of cloth again and watched as Christine's eyes fluttered and she opened them. It took her a minute to adjust.

"What happened?" She looked around and noticed that she was not in the same place she was earlier. Her weak arms began to push herself up.

"You fainted." He pushed her back down. "I told Lord Jake go and get Doctor Mitchell so he can…"

"I do not need a doctor."

"He will just look you over."

"I do not need a doctor." She repeated.

"Christine." His brows furrowed. "You fainted; you are under a lot of stress…"

"So are you." Her eyes rolled. "I do not need a doctor for stress."

"Perhaps he could suggest something so you will not faint when you are in the middle of a room when you are speaking to a hundred people and not solely me." He argued.

"You are under a lot of stress." She said weakly.

"I was not the one who fainted."

"This is ridiculous."

"You have not been feeling good for the past few days."

"Perhaps the fighting and everything is finally implanted in my mind." She shrugged. "I assure you, there is nothing wrong with me."

"Please, Christine." He took her hand in his and held it tightly. "Do this for me."

Noticing the struggle in his eyes and the pain that was deep within, she finally nodded her head and watched as he held her hand to his lips and kissed it, then cradling it on his cheek. She felt a subtle wetness on her hand as he began to shed a few tears for the daughter that he was loosing and stableness in his life. The touching moment was cut short when a knock came at the door.

"Come in!" Erik cleared his throat and turned his head towards the door, watching as Dr. Mitchell walked in.

"Sire if you would not mind…" He held the door open and waited.

Erik looked to Christine and just nodded towards the door. He leaned down and kissed her forehead gently, then had to struggle a bit to get up. As he approached he leaned over and whispered in the doctor's ear, "Take care of her." Then he left.

"Majesty," Dr. Mitchell turned to Christine, after he closed the door and went towards her. "I am in your confidant; the king does not have to know anything…"

"Do you suspect something wrong?" She felt her heart race and she slowly sat up to prevent another fainting spell.

"I was just preparing for the worse or best." He shrugged. "But if you ask it of me I may chose not to tell the king when he asks me what is wrong or I may lie."

"Dr. Mitchell." Christine did her best to stop her shaky voice. "I have been scared very few times in my life and I must admit this is one of them…"

"First let me examine you before anything is definite." As he did his assessment of her, she began to worry. She knew if something was the matter that Erik may not be able to stay calm, or he might try and distance himself from her and she knew that he did not need to distance himself form somebody else in this point and time.

Cecile was dying. Her mind did not want to wrap itself around that concept. The closest thing she had to a daughter was dying and could be dead by the time she got there. She would never say her good-bye; she could never kiss her sweet cheek again, and Erik, oh Erik. A little of him was dying with that girl, and she knew that a little piece of her heart would be taken with the little princess too.

"Majesty," Dr. Mitchell's voice broke her of her thoughts. "I must ask you a few questions, and some possibly will sound a little intimate."

"I am sure that I have had worse." She tried to make a joke.

"How often do you and His Majesty make love?"

"Well that certainly would be something to get my mind off of things." Her cheeks burned a little. "Everyday…"

"Do you use any sort of protection?"

"Dr. Mitchell I am a queen," She knew her face was beet red, but tried to keep her pride. "I do not think queens are allowed to use protection."

"When was the first time for you and him?"

"These questions have a point, am I correct?"

"Bare with me Majesty."

"I think I bared enough."

"The first time, Majesty?"

"A couple of months ago."

"When did you start to get sick?"

"I think just a week ago or so."

"When was your last monthly flow?"

"Well…" Christine thought and thought very hard. Then she looked at the doctor, and stared at him open mouthed. Her mouth formed the words but nothing was coming out. She stopped, took in a breath and said. "Oh."

"Majesty," Dr. Mitchell smiled a little, "I think you may be pregnant."

-------------

"I have everything packed, Your Majesty." Jake came back. "I think we just need a few things from your room…"

"We will leave it here for when we come back." Erik said quietly, he sat at a chair across from his room, waiting while Dr. Mitchell spoke with Christine. His head turned to Jake and indicated for him to sit at the chair next to him.

"Thank you, Majesty." Jake nodded as he sat down. It was quiet for a while between the two before Jake asked, "Have you heard anything yet?"

"No."

"She will be fine." Jake said confidently.

"You are not God," Erik sighed. "You cannot say that."

"I may not be God." He looked at him. "But I do know my queen and I know that if something was gravely wrong with her one of us would be able to tell."

"I truly hope you are right, Lord Jake." Leaning his head against the wall the king finally blurted, "My daughter is dying."

"I am sorry." His voice sounded so sincere. "I know what it is like to lose a daughter."

"Really?" Erik glanced at him.

"Yes," He nodded. "My daughter was fifteen, beautiful with red hair and golden brown eyes. All the boys wanted her," He chuckled, "But she was too fickle and too independent for anyone boy to handle her. Besides I would have them running away in a minute. She was adventurous, but she enjoyed going to court, so I took her. Her mother and her nanny would dress her up, and all her younger sisters would sit there green with envy.

"She liked when the gentlemen would ask her to dance and she liked to flirt." Jake continued. "Perhaps a little too much, and caught the eye of Borgia. She flirted with him only because she thought him interesting, at least that is what she told me, but I knew better, fathers always know better. My daughter was like many women of beauty, she was interested in him because of his power. She knew he had influence.

"Borgia, back when he was younger was not a bad looking man, but by no means handsome. I watched as their relationship grew into something more than I thought it would ever be. When she was eighteen he asked for her hand, and she accepted. As I walked her down the aisle I gritted my teeth and tried not to glare at the man that I had to give her to.

"Their relationship, I knew was not built out of love. That much I knew, and as a year passed she became pregnant, she was so happy because Borgia was now spending more time at the palace than at home and now she could care for something. But suddenly she lost it, and this happened five more times, before I noticed something."

"What did you notice?" Erik questioned, noticing the man had stopped.

"I'll never forget the color or the shape." Jake took in a breath and let it go. "It was a bruise, but an oddly shaped color bruise. I asked her about it and she lied and said that she had run into something. Well I kept questioning her until she told me to stop, but I would subtly make comments and she would scold me.

"Then Borgia came to power. Everything became crazed. I saw my once beautiful daughter become a skeleton of her former self and came home less and less. She would jump at every sound and she would constantly shake. I tried so hard to make her see a doctor but she would not listen to me.

"But that night…" Jake stopped, and started again. "That night will live forever for me. Borgia and Redford were forced off the throne and thrown into exile. People went fanatical in the streets and burned many of the buildings that Borgia and Redford had built. They came to his house and burned it." He took a breath

"I ran inside to find her." His body shook but his speech stayed even. "But all I saw was her body lying on the floor with blood spilled around it. Borgia had killed her before he was sent away."

"Why?" Erik asked quietly.

"I never knew why." He sighed. "I thought that perhaps he wanted to kill all his secrets because I am sure she knew some things that would have been important, but that was all I could come up with. Or maybe he was completely insane."

"What was her name?"

"Amilia," A small smile appeared. "My youngest just had a daughter and named her Amilia."

"So she is not lost or forgotten." Erik said softly, seemingly to himself.

"They never are." Jake shrugged. "It is scary when you think that you cannot think of their face or the feel of her cheek, but then you remember. It is painful, but it is a pain that must be lived with because otherwise I would not have seen my grandchildren or my other children grow up. Or my wife's beautiful face every morning. Plus Amilia would have been disappointed in me if I would have given up so easily."

"Majesty," Dr. Mitchell came through the door. "I am done."

"Is anything wrong?" Erik carefully stood up.

"The queen is just under a lot of stress, she will be fine for your journey home." He nodded and walked away.

"Thank you Lord Jake." Erik turned to him and nodded to him.

"It was my pleasure, Your Majesty."

* * *

I hope there are people still reading this story. I am sorry that I have not been able to update as much as I should but last chapter I did not get as many reviews as I am used to, maybe I'm just a review hog. But really I just wanted to make sure that people are still reading! Please review, and thank you!

EV


	29. Hope

"I am fine, Erik." Christine chided quietly.

"I know," He shrugged. "I was simply admiring your beauty."

"You were admiring my paleness." She said plainly, silence came between them as they rode on, and Christine asked, "She cannot be…"

"Don't say it, Christine." His tone left no room for argument. "She is holding on for us."

She did not say anything after that, since they had been riding for two days straight and every time she mentioned something of Cecile he would cut her off or completely ignore the question. Her mind told her to overlook the fact that he was avoiding the conversation, but her heart told her to keep trying. She knew that his pain was great and she was worried that perhaps it was too great, but he hid it very well. His eyes were the only thing to give him away at times, only when he was deep in thought she knew that he was thinking about Cecile.

"I love her." Christine stated, as almost it was just an everyday thing, but it was not just an everyday occurrence.

"Christine…" He waved. "Do not…"

"I miss her smile." She swallowed. "I miss her eyes, her hair, and her face. I miss her hands…."

"Do not…" His voice as a bit strained and he was happy that the guards were far above them and far behind them.

"Oh her hands." Her tears began to fall gently down her cheeks. "The way they would move so quickly when she gets excited, or when she is trying so hard to be serious, but you cannot stand how endearing she is."

He remained quiet; there was nothing he could say. She was saying enough for the both of them. All Erik could do was sit there upon his horse, listen to his wife talk about the daughter that she had so willingly loved and was now being taken away from them.

"I will miss her." She bit her lip. "With every fiber in my being I will miss her." She took a breath. "I wish I could take some of your pain and make it my own."

"My pain is no worse than yours." It became quiet between them again.

Everything was all around quiet. Before they had left, everyone in Liren chose to change into dreary black garbs. She felt her heart fall at the sight of them. However the person lined up in the streets to give them a good-bye and hopes to see them in the future. Christine smiled a bit at her people noticing that they seemed uplifted since the end of the fight with Plante.

Although the conflict with Plante had killed many people, the people of Liren took it upon themselves to rise above and go beyond what she had expected in such a short time. People were getting back to work and more farms, she heard in the South were opening back up. The mines were being cleared out from debris and some were even starting up. Christine took pride in the fact that Liren was so eager to start again and build the empire back up.

Then there was Borswan. She wanted to prove to that country that she was capable of being a good queen, perhaps even a great one, but the men there were too set in their ways. It would become a lifelong goal for her, she knew, but she also knew that the benefits and the long term cycle would be worth it.

But she could not worry about that right now. Her concern was Cecile, the dying princess that she had come to love and cherish as if Cecile was one of her own. Christine would have to be strong, she could not cry in public, she would have to put on a face and live with it. The girl was too young and too full of life to die, though. She could only hope that when she told Erik the news of the unborn child in her womb that perhaps it could ease the passing and even bring a new light into his life. Or the news could bring him pain and misery because he would question why one child lived and the other died.

"Erik, I need to stop." Christine felt a familiar sensation build up in her stomach, and one that did not limit itself to just morning.

Erik held up his hand again and the little procession stopped. The guards looked away as their queen retched in the forest a little away from the people, while the king hurried over to her and held her hair back.

"This is not healthy, Christine." Erik said quietly. "I insist that you speak to another doctor."

"I am fine, Erik." She wiped her mouth, and waited for a little color to return to her skin before going back to the horses. "Dr. Mitchell assured me that I have nothing to worry about, it is completely normal."

"Normal," He lifted a brow. "Retching in the forest is normal activity for someone who is supposedly fine?"

"It is the stress." Her shoulders moved slightly. The walked back to the horses and began to ride farther.

"There should be some kind of medicine for this." His words were mumbled under his breath, but she heard them and started to laugh a little. He looked at her strangely. "What are you laughing at?"

"Oh nothing." She let her giggles subside before turning to him. "I am sure this will not last much longer."

He did not say anything just gave a sort of grunt. Christine just shook her head and let the silence take them over once again.

------------------

There was not anyone to greet them when they arrived. It was quiet, silent. The deep hallways where servants and diplomats would once roam was now deserted and clear. Some fabrics from the stone, cold walls had been taken, presumably because people had laid ill there at point in time.

On the rare occasion when a servant would walk by they would glance at the royal couple, bow their heads in a sorrowful disposition and then hurry away. They were afraid, both Erik and Christine knew. Afraid of the sickness, afraid of how they would react to the impending death of the princess.

Christine held tightly to Erik's arm as they strode down the corridors. She knew the first destination would be Cecile's room and doubted that they would leave the room soon. As she studied her husband she saw how focused he was on their destination. His mouth was set in a strait line and his manner in posture was different than in Liren.

In Liren he had been calm and not so ridged. However, Liren was also not the uptight as Borswan and it did not hold his dying daughter. She only hoped that in time he would become as he was in Liren, but she knew that their moments would still be in secret. It was just their moments and not the courts.

"Erik?" She said quietly as she noticed the room where Cecile lay was ahead.

"Yes?" He cleared his throat.

"I love you." It came out in a whisper as if she was afraid that even a servant or someone close could hear them.

They stopped before the door and he turned to her. His eyes were filled for a moment with such grief and defeat, but then something else came into his eyes. He leaned over and placed a chaste, yet meaningful kiss on her lips. Erik pulled her close and whispered,

"I love you so much." His breath was hot on her ear and she closed her eyes from the emotion that filled her. "And thank you for loving her too."

The two pulled apart and waited for the guards to open the door. Quietly the door opened and they silently made their way in.

A woman sat in a chair on the side of the bed, the faint candlelight glowed dimly so that it was a little hard to see her all black clothing on her back, which was facing them, yet she turned when she heard the slight noise.

"You're back." Madame Giry stood quickly, and then bowed. She looked to Cecile and then back at the king and queen. "She has been drifting back and forth between conscience and delusion. At the moment she is just sleeping."

"You may leave, Madame." Erik nodded. "We can handle it from here."

"As you wish Majesty," She curtsied again and walked to the door.

"Madame," Erik called to her, she turned. "Thank you for everything."

"It is my duty Majesty." Yet he could tell that she took the gratitude to heart.

"I am sorry for your loss."

"Thank you, Majesty." She nodded and gave a weary smile. "I am glad you are back, Majesties, and I am sure that Cecile would agree." She left.

Christine walked slowly to the girl's bedside and sat beside her on the bed. Carefully she reached out, Cecile's hand ice. Placing the small hand into her larder one, she turned to Erik. He stood, just staring at the two of them.

"Her hand is so cold." Christine breathed.

He did not say anything, but walked over and place his hand on Christine's shoulder. Kneeling besides the girl he stroked her pale, spotted face.

"Her cheeks are warm." His teeth took his trembling lip. Christine raised her free hand to comfort him, by laying it on his head and stroking his dark hair. He released air he had been holding in. "She is just laying there."

A tear fell from his eye and another. She felt her heart break as her husband hurried his head in her lap and sobbed. There were no comforting words she could impart to him, there was not a single thing she could do. Her pain had already been felt by him, and not it was his turn to grieve. This would not be the last, but a king was not allowed to grieve because others would eventually take advantage of it.

Her own tears began to fall silently as she stroked her husband's head with one hand and the girl that she had become to recognize as her daughter with her other hand. She was silent as she cried; she had to be strong for him. But these tears were not for Cecile alone. These tears were for all of Erik's pains, his happiness and for the child that was to become the heir.

She did not know how long they stayed like that, but his tears subsided and he just held her like he was afraid she would leave him. She noticed that his hand crept slowly down her arm to her hand that was holding Cecil's. Their three hands joined and a strange sort of peacefulness presided over the family. Suddenly Erik's head lifted up and Christine's head snapped to the girl's sleeping form. Her hand had moved under the weight.

"Cecile?" Erik's weak voice called out, quietly, knowing that she could not hear him, he stopped.

The small princess's eyes opened slightly.

"Cecile." He choked on a sob, suddenly glad she was deaf so she would not hear her father so weak, as her eyes came into focus on him.

She gave a feeble smile.

"We missed you." Erik signed to her.

She gave another smile.

"Erik," Christine leaned over to him. "She cannot sign."

There was movement under the hand again. They removed their hands and saw her small attempts at signing to them.

"Thank you." Cecile signed, happy that she could finally speak to them.

"I found a small trinket when we were going to Liren." Christine pulled out the small fish from her hidden pocket in her dress.

"It's beautiful." She smiled and moved her eyes over to her nightstand, showing Christine where she wanted it.

"An old man gave it to me in a small town." Christine placed it down next to the girl's bed.

"How are you feeling?" Erik asked, hoping she was comfortable.

"Tired." She sighed. "I want to not lie in bed any more."

"You have to Cecile." He smiled at the strength in the little girl. "You need to get better."

"I feel better." Her eyes pleaded with him.

"When you can sit up for a while, then maybe you can walk around a while." His heart flooded with hope, that perhaps the doctors were wrong. Maybe there was a chance that she could live.

"Cecile." Christine got her attention. "It is getting late, you should go to sleep."

"Alright." She gave no squabble, and shut her eyes. They both looked at the movement of her hands as the formed. "I love you both." She began to breathe steadily.

"She doesn't want to be in bed." Erik gave a chuckle.

"Perhaps you could carry her around in the garden tomorrow, if it is nice out." Christine suggested. She knew that he was beginning to become hopeful that this could pass, but something told her that this sickness would not end happily. She could not completely crush his small smidgen of hope, though. "That would be nice."

"Yes it would be nice." He agreed and laid his head back down in her lap. "Is it wrong to have hope, Christine?"

His voice sounded so broken and alone. Everything was falling around him and there was nothing to do to stop it. Now, she could not break his sprit. She refused to break his sprit even more.

"No." She shook her head. "It is never wrong to have hope."

* * *

I meant to have this chapter up ealier but I have been extremely busy. I am studying abraod in England and just got my laptop working with internet, but I should have another chapter up by next week! Also I have noticed that this story is taking forever and I am going to try and hurry it up a little bit cause I feel its dragging on and I have another project in mind which I will hopefully finish sooner! But please review since it keeps my day sunny when its rainy here, which is a lot but London is a wonderful city and I am so lucky to be here! Please and thank you!

EV


	30. Candlelight

Christine watched from a distance as her husband and daughter walked through the gardens in a silent manner. Erik held the small princess in his arms as she laid her head on his chest contently looking around at all the colorful flowers. It was a beautiful day out, just enough sun and a wind to make the warm day bearable. It was a day where the House of Nobles was closed due to the sickness that was running ramped throughout the country.

Christine was thankful for that, with its closure, Erik could enjoy a moment with his daughter. Her heart felt heavy as she placed her hand on her stomach. Perhaps she was paranoid, but she swore she saw a slight bump when she came out of the bath that morning; she dressed quickly in case Erik came in. She could not tell him yet. The news of his daughter's death looming and the news that there would be a child would make him feel torn. She could not put him through that agony now, but she wanted so badly for him to share the joy that she had been carrying.

"She is beautiful." A voice said behind her.

"Oh Madame." Her hand dropped quickly and she turned to receive the woman. "I did not hear you come."

"I meant not to be heard." Madame Giry replied. "They are so happy together, are they not?"

"Yes." She watched with loving eyes as Cecile made a pale finger point towards a butterfly and Erik take her over to see it.

"The king is a very caring and loving father." The woman spoke.

"He is."

"It is horrible to loose one's child." Madame Giry sighed. "It is not supposed to happen in that order."

"Sorielli was a good woman." Christine smiled sadly, trying to offer some kind of condolence, but knew there was none. "I was devastated to learn of her death."

"Yes." She nodded, "But I was lucky to have Megan. She is truly what saved me, as well as my other children. They were a comfort to me, knowing that they were there and alive my heart was at peace."

"Madame." Her eyes shifted slightly, and then back to her husband. "I do not want him torn or sad with the news of a child."

"The king will be happy."

"But what if he is not?" She turned to her. "What if the king is not pleased with the news? He will question why did not Cecile live." She paused. "He wanted to be with her and not leave for Liren. I made him…"

"You did not make him."

"I did…"

"You did nothing of the kind." Madame Giry said fiercely. "He went of his own free will. His Majesty does as he pleases." The older woman smiled a bit. "Much like his queen."

"Madame?" Christine licked her dry lips. "She does not have a chance, does she?"

"The princess's body is much too weak." She sighed. "The doctors was amazed she has lived this long."

"Will you please see to her funeral arrangements?" Her throat tightened. "I would not want the king's list of things to do to be longer than necessary."

"Yes, Majesty." Madame gave a nod and left.

Christine walked towards her husband and daughter, coming to stand next to them to watch the same butterfly that they had been watching all this time. Erik turned to her giving a small smile, which she returned. Neither spoke, both knew hope was out of the question, now all there was, was to let go.

Reaching up, Christine brushed the girl's raven locks out of her face to see the paleness and spots underneath. The girl's eyes opened and looked at her, smiling.

"We should go to the beach, before the sunsets." Christine suggested quietly.

Erik just nodded and they made their way down to the beach. As they made their way to the place where they had become a family, Christine could see the tears forming in Erik's eyes. She could tell that the small amount of hope that he had yesterday was gone. The day spent with Cecile would probably be his last and hers.

She would have never even dreamed of this. Her falling in love with the man that she only sought out to tie up ends and return to her country, perhaps having a child or two. Nevertheless, she fell and fell for his daughter. The daughter that had asked to call her mother, the daughter that had shown her love, and the daughter that was now dying and there was nothing she could do.

When they arrived Erik handed Cecile over to Christine and laid his jacket on the sand. Easing himself down, he helped Christine settle between his legs and Cecile in her arms. He wrapped his arms around the two, and they all looked towards the setting sun. The waves of the water lapped gently on the sand and the calming effects added to the beautiful display of oranges, blues, purples, and reds. For now it was quiet, peaceful, even. They dreaded what tomorrow would bring and the hectic life of court would follow. Right now though, they were a family.

With a subtle kiss to her temple, Christine heard Erik whisper,

"Thank you."

-----------------

It had been the news they had been dreading. It was the news that could be the worst possible a parent could receive. All hope was gone and there was not a heart for it. Everything that had been blue, green, and red had turned to an ugly shade of gray. The world, as they knew it, had ended, and everything had changed.

A little life that had once depended on them was gone. A person that had once asked many questions about nothing was gone. It was all gone.

Christine had not disturbed Erik the moment he went into the music room, after they had left Cecile's room. She had held the girl in her arms, trying desperately not to weep, but tears had escaped her. There had been no use trying to communicate with the girl, because her vision was clouded with sickness, let alone hold up her hands to reply. Her breathing had become worse and the short rasps were hurtful and painful.

Erik had sat by his daughter's side in the moments with Christine, he had also held the little girl, but had Christine hold her up as he wiped the sweat and hair off the girl's brow. He had been destroyed in those last minutes. Although he knew it was coming, he had not accepted it. His daughter could not possibly die and now his grief was being played out in the music room.

Melodies of all different kinds flowed from the walls of the room as Christine sat in his room. She did not want to leave due to the fact that he could come out at any time and need her. Christine needed him too, but knew that she would put him first. Perhaps it was pity, since it was the child he rendered from his loins and not hers, but it was mostly guilt.

The music stopped and she looked up, from her spot from the window seat, waiting for him to come through the doorway. As the door slowly opened, it relieved her husband's extremely disheveled appearance. His usually slicked hair was around his face, his shirt was buttoned strangely and wrinkled, he wore no shoes or socks, and his mask was gone.

Slowly she stood, and walked over to him. She brushed a lock of hair from his face and licked her lips. Her intention was to say something, something meaningful, something that would help him, but she had nothing, absolutely nothing.

"She's gone." He whispered.

"I would say something, that I hope would make you feel better." She cleared her throat, to prevent the onslaught of tears. "But I fear that nothing could possibly do that."

"Tell me that you love me." His voice sounded so desperate, so painful.

"You know I do."

"Say it."

"I love you, Erik." She bit her lip, as tears began to fall.

Strong arms came around her waist, and she melted into his strong chest.

"I have been a bad husband." He kissed the top of her forehead. "I have not cared…"

"You are the last thing from a bad husband." Looking up at him, with tear stained eyes, she made her point. "You have cared for me, many times. It was my turn to care for you, and still is."

"I cannot believe she is gone." A sigh escaped him. "I thought that I would see her grow old, marry, have her own children. I thought that she would bury me, with a sad heart. Never did I think that I would bury her."

"Madame Giry will care for the funeral arrangements."

"She will do well." He nodded. "I do not have the heart for them."

"You could." Christine shrugged, calming down. "But I thought that it would be best to give you just a few more moments of solitude before facing the country."

"Thank you." Erik noticed her yawn. "We should try and get some rest."

"I will not be able to sleep." She sighed as they made their way towards the bed.

Christine removed her heavy dressed and put on her shift, while Erik just removed his shirt. They climbed into the monstrous bed and lay down. Christine shifted in Erik's arms and fell asleep.

--------

Christine felt cold, as she lay beneath the once warm sheets. She felt next to her and noticed her husband gone. Somber music filled her ears, so sad and so much longing. Then getting up, as if in a trance, she went towards the music room, where it was coming from.

Silently she pushed the door open to the dimly lit room, candles gently swayed, illuminating only a fourth of the room. Two, however shown the light on her husband's broad back, as he sat at the piano. His head down in a silent prayer above the piano, as his fingers struck the keys. He wore only his long pants and his shirt, which hung loosely around him. Tears silently came down his face, as the music took over him, pulling him further into the despair he was feeling.

Christine stood in the doorway yearning to will all the hurt and pain away. But the tears would not stop, nor the pain would subside, in time, but not now. As quietly as she could she approached him, and saw that he was not wearing his mask. With a steady hand, she reached out and softly stroked his flawed side. Her fingers ran down his damaged visage, lovingly.

His fingers never missed a beat, as her hand went lower and fell onto his bare chest. The lids of his eyes slid shut, with the warmth that emitted from her small hand. Her other hand came to the unblemished side of his face, adoring that side as much. Carefully she made her way around and slipped herself between him and the piano, sitting between his legs. The music kept going.

Her hands started to fill in the missing parts of the song as one of his felt its way up her arm, leaving goosebumps in its tracks. It trailed to her neck, in which she allowed more access to, before it went down her back. Making its way to the front and landing on her upper inner thigh. She let her other hand move down his other arm that was still playing the beautiful music on the instrument, and replaced it. He let the other hand move to her neck and down to meet the other one as his lips caress her neck.

She reached back and stroked the nape of his neck, while he replaced the missing notes. Letting out a gasp as he nipped at her neck and his hand crept closer to her center. Turning her head more she capture his mouth his hers. His need was becoming apparent. She let him take over the song as she turned and placed her legs on either side of his waist, straddling him.

The flesh of her hands met the flesh of his broad chest. When they ache for more of his flesh, she slowly pushed the loosely put shirt off of him. She gripped on to him as he traced her jaw line with his mouth, and her face lifted towards the ceiling of the room, looking at the images on there. Her eyes closed, shutting out the images of Hell, when the song finally ended and his hands moved to her hip, splayed his, long, large fingers across the lower half of her body.

He slowly moved his hands upward and slid the robe off her and started to untie the already loose shift. Becoming frustrated with the ties he simply ripped the shift and threw it to the ground.

Christine smiled when she felt his need through the fabric of his pants. His moaned awakened even more of her desires as she grinded into the apparent need of his pants. Then she traced him taunt stomach, down to the buttons of his pants. Getting up she gently pulled off the pants and gave herself a second to look at her husband and appreciate. Finally she approached him and lowered herself on to him.

The air rushed out of their lungs, when they joined. After they regained their senses they began to find a new rhythm. A rhythm that was filled with so much more besides pain and suffering, it was the rhythm that made their spirits soar.

They barely made noise, only a soft moan and sigh. But it was their music of the night that had awakened them and lead them to that point. As they finally took their last pleasure, they held onto each other as if it was their last night.

Their bodies were slick with sweat and both tired to catch their breath. They leaned their foreheads against the other and stayed there for a moment. Then Christine placed her head on Erik's chest and listened to his steady heartbeat. He put his head on top of her curls. After a while, she lifted her head and gave him a tender kiss. She searched his eyes and noticed the tears had come back, forming at the edges of his eyes. He lowered his head to her chest and wept. His arms encircled her and held on tight. Hers tears came silently as he wept.

When he stopped her scooped her up and lay her in the bed, lying beside her. She turned towards him and scooted closer to him, laying her head on his chest, as her arms lay across his stomach, and their legs entwined. As she began to drift off to sleep she felt his arm pull her closer and his lips touched her head, as he whispered,

"I love you."

* * *

A girl, a single girl, lay on a bed. Her breathes coming out quietly, slowly. The color of her flesh was becoming paler as her heartbeat began to slowly fade.

A candle sat next to the lone girl's bedside. Its flame flickered, making shadows of the woman, who sat next to the girl's bed dance on the wall.

The woman could no longer watch the girl as her breathing began to slow, and the rise and fall of her usually steady chest slowed. She knew it would stop soon enough, she knew that she did not want the parents of the girl to be there, she knew that she would spare them the heartache she had to go through as she watched her own child die in her arms. But her wish was not to be granted.

A pair of footsteps came behind the woman and a single, strong hand came down upon her shoulder, her position at the girl's side was relieved. The woman did not budge, but the parents of the girl understood. Instead they took a side and slipped into the girl's cold bed, lying next to her. The girl's father pulled her and the mother into his arms and sat there. The woman that had been watching the girl sat on the bed and held the girl's small, cold hand.

As the father lay there, he could feel the heartbeat begin to fade, slowly. He watched the girl's face in the flickering candlelight, to see if there was any pain, her face was still, and he was glade that there had been that small mercy. The mother, had no tears left, she did not think that her husband did either, but she knew that there would be tears in the future, just not now. She lay there feeling her husband's warmth and her daughter's frigidness.

The breaths were fading now. It was slowly agonizing, the girl's death. The heartbeat was too slow now, too faint. The three caretakers of the girl waited, she took her last breath and the beats of her heart stopped.

The candlelight died.


	31. Changes

Christine felt as though the days had become a blur. She and Erik, both became somewhat distant, holding each when they needed it, but there was nothing to distract them from the pain. The House was still out of session and there was not any business of state to be conducted since the news of the princess's death had reached the ears of the country and other countries.

The day had come when the funeral was prepared. It had seemed to come too quickly and too slowly. She had hoped that the pain would somewhat lessen when the casket carrying the girl's body would sink into the earth. Then the realization that she would never touch the sweet face again, it was gone.

It was a cold day, she would remember that the sun had shown and there was barely a cloud in the sky. The stain glass from the windows had a beautiful glow to them, one from above shown down upon the small white casket. Despite the beauty of the other elements the cold, hard stone is what really brought her to a leveling point.

Erik stood next to her in a solemn stance, awaiting the point when he would have to step up to the casket and draw his blessing upon it. His eyes did not dart about, only stayed directly in front, watching, waiting. She wanted to hold his hand, touch him, give him a small amount of comfort, but it was unseemly in public scenes.

Yes, people had come, surprisingly, and despite the plague threat, which was slowly dissipating. It was becoming less and less of a threat, but people were still plagued and the fact that the sickness had even spread to the castle was even more of a shock. Now, people were calming down and the Nobles were slowly coming back to the capital.

The House would open once again and she would be somewhat glad since it would give Erik a chance to think of something besides his daughter's death. For now she would stand besides him and watch as he went towards the open casket and placed a small red dot upon his daughter's forehead for the sign of eternal afterlife. Before closing the casket he kissed her cold cheek and gently lowered the lid.

Erik stepped back and Christine went besides him and placed a white rose on the coffin as four guards lifted it and made their way down the aisle, with Christine and Erik following. People turned and the women blew a kiss as it passed by them. All dressed in black garb, the people followed their king and queen to the burial site. Silence came with them in a tide, no one spoke, only the sound of some sniffling, and shoes on the pavement.

They arrived at the site. As the minister read Cecile's last death ceremonial rites the coffin was slid slowly into the earth's dirt and settled. Christine began to weaken, and tried very hard not to be noticed as she placed her hand into Erik's. He did not give any notice on his face that what she had done gave him a small amount of happiness or comfort, but he did squeeze her hand letting her know that he appreciated her.

It was over and now they had to mingle with the guest and listen to how sorry they were and how devastated they were to loose, presumably the last true Borswan woman in the royal family.

"Majesties." Lord Kingsley came up and bowed quickly with his wife. "We are both very sorry."

"She was a great child." Lady Kingsley nodded through her tear stained cheeks.

"Thank you." Erik nodded.

"Sire, my Lady." Lord Halverson came to the royal couple. "I came to tell you that I am very sorry."

"Thank you, Lord Halverson." Christine nodded.

"And there is something that needs to be spoken in private between us." He licked his lips and stared right into the couple's eyes. "I have some unsavory news, and it needs to be dealt with immediately. Although I will wait until the House is back in session."

"You may speak now." Erik looked at him.

"No, Majesty." His head shook. "I cannot. I must speak privately with both of you. Many plots are going through out the palace and I am sure you would not be fond of them."

"We will speak tomorrow then." Erik nodded.

"Yes, Majesty." He bowed and as he left said, "Again, I am sorry for you loss."

"Majesties," Christine looked up to meet the eyes of a man that she wished never to see again. "May I express my utmost grief of this tragedy."

"Thank you, Lord Benedict." Erik spoke.

"Majesties." Arabella stepped foreword from her father's side; Christine noticed her face had a bit of scarring, "I truly am sorry to hear of your daughter's death."

"Mistress." Christine smiled gently at her. "Are you well? I heard you had obtained the sickness that killed the princess."

"I am well enough." Her smile that came to her face was trusting, but her eyes shifted towards Christine to see what type of game she played.

"You should be in bed resting, if you are only well enough." She chided, but as in one would a child.

"Your concern is most appreciated, Majesty," Arabella cocked her head. "But I would not miss a moment at where my king needed me."

There was a moment of stunned silence in which everyone was unsure of how to take the meaning, Christine looked at the woman before her, "Ah, for the support yes?" Christine smiled at her. "The support, which you and your family brings to the king _and_ your queen?"

"Yes." She bit her lip from producing any more speech that would be deemed un-lady like and lewd.

"It is appreciated then." The queen looked at the woman who was her husband's former mistress. She could not deal with the tiresomeness of this woman, utterly sick of her constant insistence to be a nuisance in her life.

"Once again, Majesties." Lord Benedict ignored his daughter's behavior and looked to his king. "We are sorry for your loss."

"Thank you, Lord Benedict." Erik felt torn between feeling proud at the moment of his wife reminding Arabella her place or embarrassed, he decided to completely disregard the situation, for now.

The people did not stay for long, nor did they ask for the future of Borswan. Perhaps they did not want to find out in case of the answer would be fearful, or perhaps the queen's place at the king's side was questionable in their eyes and did not want to cause a scene in front of many people. Christine knew they would want to know in time whether or not she carried a child in her womb. She knew that her outspoken personality and her politics were still in question for many. She knew things took time.

"Tomorrow is the start of a new House of Nobles." Erik said quietly beside her as they strolled through the gardens.

"New?" She questioned.

"Cecile is dead," His plain speech, was unsurprising to her. "An heir to the Borswan throne is dead and there is none to replace her." Christine remained silent; it still was not the time to tell him. "And I feel as though things must change."

"Things must change?" Looking at him, she noticed his weariness, how tired he looked. She knew that he was not getting much sleep and his daughter's death was weighing heavily on him. "The people are just recovering from the plague and the death's of they're loved ones, I do not think that tomorrow would be a good time to bring up more change within the country. Perhaps next week, or next…"

"It starts tomorrow." He commanded. "I will strive for an equal government, less corruption, where women would be able to speak their mind and not be condemned for it, a country I wanted my daughter to rule and be proud of."

"She was proud of your country." Christine stopped him. "Your daughter was proud of her father, proud that he did so many things but somehow found time to spend with her. She was proud of the fact that you gave her an opportunity that many fathers of Borswan would have never even dream of. Cecile would have been proud to rule after her father."

"I want my wife to be proud of her country also."

"I am proud of Borswan and Liren." She smiled slightly. "Yes, Borswan needs to become open to more ideas and thoughts, while Liren needs to become stronger and in control again. All countries have faults, Erik. There will never be a perfect country."

"The House of Nobles will change." He swore to her. "It will become similar to Liren's government and Liren's equality."

"And I shall help you." Her hand came to his face and she pulled him in a light kiss, he was exhausted, she could tell. "Come, let us dream of future so we can bring them into light tomorrow."

-----------

Christine woke in the morning to sunlight hitting her eyes. She moaned a bit and felt Erik's hot flesh beside her. Her hand reached out to him and gave a nudge.

"Erik." She did not want to open her eyes, she was extremely tired today. "We must get up. I have to review papers from Liren and you must open the House today." He did not budge. She sighed and opened her eyes towards the ceiling. "Why didn't they give us just one more day?" Mumbling she turned to face him. "Erik…"

He was dead asleep. Her eyes grazed over him as she noticed strange, discolored spots appeared on his skin. Christine gasped and moved quickly out of the bed, only to go to him and feel the heat that radiated off his forehead. His breathing came out raggedly and his usually pale skin had become worse, making the spots stand out even more.

Quickly putting on a robe, she called for Madame Giry to fetch a doctor. Christine waited in a silence, watching him, praying for him. She looked upon him again, he was without a mask.

"Majesty." Doctor Mitchell came through the door and rushed to her side, besides the king. "You must leave now."

"But I…"

"Leave." He dropped his voice, so that no one would be able to hear him. "For the sake of your child."

"Dr. Mitchell." Her eyes went to her husband. "His mask is not…"

"As before," Dr. Mitchell looked at her steadily. "The matter is between doctor and client, nothing will be said outside these walls."

"Thank you." Christine nodded.

"Now, please." He bowed slightly, "Leave."

She made no argument and quietly left the room, her robe tied securely around her. Her heart was pounding in her chest as she waited outside the door. His skin was so pale, so much like Cecile's but not as horrible. He was so hot to the touch and he looked like he could be death.

Feeling a little dizzy, she leaned against a wall, needing the support now. She held her stomach tenderly; wanting to feel some sort of reassurance, that one thing would be all right.

"Majesty." Christine looked up to see Madame Giry; she did not bother to straighten up. "Have you yet to tell him?"

"Would it be horrible if I did not tell him the day after his daughter died?" She questioned bitterly, she needed to sit.

"He needs to know."

"Forgive me if I seem a little hostile," Her dry tongue attempted to moisten her dry lips. "But if the king is lying on the bed, sick with plague I do not think that it is his first priority to know that his wife is perfectly fine with a child in her womb."

"It is his priority to know how the kingdom will fair if he dies." Madame Giry looked at her queen. "If he dies, then I suspect that he would like to know that his kingdom is safe and his dynasty will live on."

"Well telling him would not give him much incentive to live, then." She could not deal with her daughter dying one day and her husband the next.

"A child would give him incentive to live, though." Her head shook, "The king would want to see his child."

"And how do you suppose I tell him?" The queen questioned. "He is lying there unable to move, let alone speak! His eyes are shut and his whole body is burning with fever. This news could bring more stress upon him, something that he most definitely does not need right now!"

"Majesty." Dr. Mitchell came out of the room, and towards Madame Giry and her. "The king is not well. He has the plague, but luckily his other wounds are healing very well, and do not pose a threat."

"Will he get better?" She questioned.

"I am sorry, Majesty." He gave a sad smile. "It is too early to tell. If he is able to comprehend some in two days, he should be well enough. I give you my hope, Majesty."

"Thank you, Dr. Mitchell." Christine nodded, to him as he left. "Madame, what do you know of this sickness?"

"For those who get better it is as he says, two days." She sighed. "If they are unwilling to wake from those two days, then it will be many days before they see death."

"If those two days come and he is able to comprehend?" Her breath caught.

"He will be better in another two." Madame Giry looked at the younger woman. "Four days till he awakens."

"And more if he dies." Christine said quietly, they sat in silence for a moment, wondering.

"The House of Nobles must be aware that their king will not join them today." She sighed.

"Then also make them aware that their queen will join them instead." The queen, stood up straighter. "They may not like it, but they will become aware of changes that will happen."

"Changes, Majesty?" Madame Giry questioned. "What changes?"

"The king spoke last night of changes." Christine murmured. "And so he will have his changes."

* * *

Well, I am coming back to the states tomorrow, so hopefully I will be writing more and maybe I might put up a new story, hope that brightens up your mood a bit, but fear not this story might be close to finishing but there is still a lot that will happen! Please and thank you! 

EV


	32. Live

"What do you mean _the king is sick_?" Lord Halverson questioned, above the rest of the noise that had started up in the house since Christine made the statement. "This is ludicrous! If he has only a cough and a slight fever does not give him a reason to stay in bed!"

"Lord Halverson," Christine said quietly making the men around her hush a bit and look gruffly at her. "And the rest of the Nobles, I understand that you tire of the absence of the king but let me assure you he does not have just a cough and a slight fever. Your king, His Majesty has the plague of which his daughter has recently died of."

They fell silent, in question, and she was somewhat pleased.

"Gentlemen," She continued. "I will serve in the king's place until he is better. I know this disappoints many of you but His Majesty trust you, so shall I."

"Did the king give you his permission?" Lord Benedict stared at her with his soulless eyes.

"The king has said enough before his sickness that demanded changes." Her speech was steady and she refused to be intimidated by these men. "And these changes will start immediately, because this is what the king wanted."

"What would these changes be?" Lord Davison called out.

"One of them you see before you." She indicated herself standing in front of them. "An equal government…"

"We have an equal government." Benedict crossed his arms.

"Lord Benedict," Christine cocked her head. "We have had this discussion before, and this is now the king's words, not just my own."

"You have poisoned the king's mind with your outlandish thoughts and words!" He accused her.

"Gentlemen," She took a breath and decided that perhaps it would be best to switch the subject before anything that was said which would be regretful or repeating. "Are there any more questions?"

"Majesty," Carvie made a motion.

"Yes, Lord Carvie?" Happy to pick someone who was not completely against her.

"Nadir is not here." He explained quickly. "We need to record this meeting to send to him, as we do every meeting."

"Well then," She gazed around the room, "Who would…"

"I will Majesty." Benedict offered before anyone else could volunteer.

"Thank you, Benedict." Her eyes met his again and she could not help but notice how men of the same thought as he seemed to have the same dismal aura about them, not to mention the eyes of coldness. "Now tell me of your lands and any information that is critical to them."

The majority of the men looked at her as if she were an oddity; however there were a few who were happily making regional and political speech with her. The House continued for about three more hours, although she remembered that Erik was sometimes in this room for more than five hours at times, but she shrugged it off as they were becoming new to the idea of having a woman in the room.

Christine watched as each man came to her and bowed some making idle chat with her. When most were out and the ones that were leaving were, the ones that tended not to enjoy her company. When the doors finally closed, she went to sit in the chair that she saw Erik sit in before. Sitting back she closed her eyes and enjoyed the silence.

"Majesty," A voice called her from her thoughts, she opened her eyes and saw the stern face of Lord Halverson.

"Yes, Lord Halverson?" She looked at him puzzled, wondering whatever he could want to speak to her about.

"I have been meaning to talk to the king and…"

"He is not well." Her sigh was quiet. "Hopefully…"

"Well it is a matter of importance." He went on, "And it concerns…"

"He has the plague." Feeling weary that this gentleman did not understand what she was saying. "I am sorry but…"

"It concerns you as well!" His voice rose just a bit.

"What concerns?" She questioned, sitting a little bit straighter.

"Majesty," He sighed. "You are in grave danger."

"What do you mean?" Her brow lifted. "In danger…"

"Both, Your Majesty and His Majesty's lives are in danger!" His voice lowered a bit, but no less urgent. "There is a rebellion on the horizon!"

"A rebellion," Christine could not help but feel her stomach drop, she had lasted through much but could she last through another fight, she would not be as quick and agile soon. "What do you mean a rebellion?"

"Some of the Lords are not pleased with the performance of His Majesty and yourself." He explained. "They have come up with plans."

"Lord Halverson," She said seriously. "You are not pleased with the performance of this court."

"Yes." Halverson agreed. "However, I would never plan to rid of royalty, unless I thought they were completely damaging the country, which you are not. Perhaps I am too old to understand the younger logic of today."

"I will take that as a compliment." Her nod, made him give way to a small, vanishing smile. "But how are they planning to rid of us?"

"That I do not know." He sighed.

"Do you know the persons responsible for this quest?"

"Not all." His eyes met hers in a heated gaze. "But Benedict is one of them as well as Davison, I know there are more but unfortunately they are beginning to scatter, and they no longer hold meetings."

"Were you part of these meetings?" Her eyes did not break from his.

"I went to one." He confessed, "But it was too radical for me, before there were meetings of how we could banned together to make the government more stable, well, at least, what we thought would be a more stable government, but it never dealt with overthrowing the ruling."

"Thank you for admitting your connection," Christine nodded. "And thank you for this information."

"You need to have spies watching Benedict and Davison."

"Lord Halverson." She smiled and stood, coming closer to him. "As much as I would like to do that, orders of Borswan can only be given by the king, the queen does not have any power in this country, and you should know that."

"I thought…"

"No, Lord Halverson." Her head shook sadly. "Borswan's women only have power over small, meager processions, even the queen can only watch as her child is taken from her and put under her husband's name."

"I did not know." He looked downwards.

"Most do not," She shrugged. "Do not feel bad, I highly doubt you will be the last. Truly, though, thank you for coming forward, I will keep my eyes and ears extremely open, thank you."

"You are welcome, Majesty." Lord Halverson bowed, and then left Christine alone in the middle of the House.

Sighing she looked around the room, one last time before leaving and going towards the records room. Going in, she saw papers spilled out on the table while the professors that she began to seemingly trust early on when she arrived, sat there looking at the new records of current holdings, finances, lands, demands and everything in-between.

"Anything interesting, gentlemen," She questioned, as she walked towards the window.

"It seems that one family was inspired by you, Majesty." One of the professors named Dr. Jekle, spoke, seeming amused.

"Really," Her attention turned to him.

"Yes." He nodded. "It seems that a husband wants to put his wife on his will and on the land deed."

"Honestly?" She felt a little spark go through her heart as the others gave approving looks towards each other, they were always quite the thought provoking bunch that she enjoyed.

"Indeed, we never had anything like that before." Dr. Jekle smiled.

"And it seems to become more frequent also." Another name Dr. Lichistien added.

"Oh and Majesty," Dr. Gridle spoke up; she turned to him. "You may go to the king and rest; we do not need our queen running herself out of energy, especially on her first day taking control of the House."

"I do have a question though." She walked towards the table; they all looked up at her. "Tell me what you know of Lord Benedict and Lord Davison's plans."

"Plans?"

"For what?"

"To overthrow the king," She stated plainly. "I have received news that these two Lords, as well as others, are planning a rebellion and I would like to know how I can find a way around the laws to put emissaries on these men and find out who the rest are."

"We do not know any way around this." Dr. Gridle sighed dejectedly.

"You could put spies on these men." Dr. Jekle suggested.

"I thought of that." Christine nodded. "But who? There are very few people who are even in support of His Majesty and I, many just do not plan an uprising."

"It is a difficult situation." Dr. Lichistien agreed. "Very unstable."

"Do I just wait for the rebellion to begin or can I do something?" She questioned.

All of the four people in the room looked at each other, knew the answer but knew that it would now be impossible, for now.

"Well, I suppose I will leave you to your thoughts." Her heavy weighted mind needed much rest, but there was one more placed she needed to go before she lay down to sleep for a bit. She headed to her room, opened the door and then went to the door that connected with her husband's room.

She walked in quietly, hoping that she would not disturb him, but knowing that there was not a chance that she would disturb him. They had told her many times that she was not supposed to go into the king's room, but she found that they did not guard the connected doorway, early in the morning after she had gotten ready.

Sitting besides her husband on the bed, she gently brushed a stray hair from his head, and it was drenched in cold sweat. He looked awful, his skin the similar ashen shade to Cecile's skin before she died, with the spot marks. She squeezed her eyes together to make the image of her dead daughter leave her mind for the moment, hoping that it would improve Erik's chances for survival.

"I know you miss her." Christine said quietly to the sleeping Erik. "But please, do not leave me alone. I refuse to let you leave a country that cannot stand a female ruler, or will not even let one rule. You cannot leave because you wanted so much change and did not even put into action yet," She smiled a little,

"Well one was, and I must admit it went pretty well, but it would have been so much better if you would have been there. They would have would have accepted me more." A sigh escaped her. "I suppose that I need to stand on my own two feet again and let go from you." Tears, that were building up in her eyes began to leave them, leaving traces down her cheeks. "But I'm not ready to. I have stood alone for so long and now I have someone that I can hold on to…

"You cannot go," She bit her lip, from her sobs becoming so apparent. "If you cannot live for me, then live for your country!" A pause. "For your unborn child that I am so afraid to tell you about because I want to see your face break out in happiness rather than pain of losing Cecile." Christine sighed. "Am I asking too much from you?"

"No you are not." A voice said from behind her. "You can never ask too much from the person you love, and they can never ask too much of you."

"Comforting words, Madame," Christine looked to her. "I was planning on telling him today."

"I figured as much." The woman came closer to her.

"He was speaking about change." She licked her dry lips, and looked down at her husband's face again. "And I thought that today he would want to hear about the change that we…I would be going through."

"Things do not always happen the way they want it to." Madame Giry smiled softly. "But you will be able to tell him soon enough."

"I am glad you are so confident." Her eyes rolled.

"Many need to be confident in times like this." She defended her words. "Especially royalty, if they are confident in what they do then the people are bound to follow. Even if a king is on his deathbed, there needs to be some sort of comfort that their world will be satisfactory and well." The younger woman looked at her in question. "Besides, Cecile should have never lived the first day. She should have never lasted more than three hours."

"And Sorielli," Christine could not help but question.

"I thought she would make it," Giry sighed. "But I knew in my heart of hearts that she was not going to last the third day." A silence came between them for a moment before Madame Giry broke it, "Come now, I cannot let you stay by the king's side with his child and the future of Liren and Borswan in your womb."

* * *

Oh wow been really busy! Sorry about that, but good news, I am working on a new story, bad news this one is finishing up, I would say maybe three or less to go. So please review and let me know what you think!

EV


	33. Fine

Ok, so I was going to put this at the bottom, but something strange is going on with fanfiction i think. Anyway, I am extremely sorry this is late, but I think I might have misplaced my beta, so I think I may be looking for a new one. This story is going to be ending very soon and I need a beta to read my next one so if anyone is interested that would be great. Please review, they are beginning to wane and I am starting to worry that people are leaving this story, I know I haven't updated but I am trying to. Sorry about the mistakes. Thank you to anyone who does review!

EV

* * *

Christine sat there with her head in her hands as the men argued over the same land deal again. This was indeed tiring and she could not understand how just a few men could turn a simple thing of a treaty into another war. The battle had gone on for two hours today and yesterday straight and she wondered how much longer she was going to have to deal with this. With the past two days being hell, she was feeling even more exhausted than she should have.

She understood that the child took up much of her energy but this was ridiculous! When she had gotten sleep that she had been used to all these years, she was extremely tired and had to lie down after the meetings and sleep. Then there was yesterday when an ambassador came and she could barely keep from falling asleep. Everything she did was tiring, getting up, and lying down, even reading a paper. Most of all her thoughts kept going towards Erik and the impending rebellion.

"Majesty!" Madame Giry came into the house, giving a quick curtsy, she announced, quietly to the queen. "It is about, His Majesty."

"What about His Majesty?" Christine looked at her.

"I must speak with you." She looked around the room. "Privately."

"This meeting is over gentlemen." Her eyes crossed the men in the room as she stood.

"But, Your Majesty." Benedict raised a brow. "We have not finished the negotiations with…"

"Lord Benedict." She turned to him. "We have not finished the negotiations in two days. I am positive another day will not ruin it. Besides a day of rest is the best medicine for undeceived minds."

Standing tall and regal, Christine left the room full of men, who were silent and in hopes of news of their king, others kept their silence in thought. She followed Madame Giry to a room, which Madame pulled her inside, and closed the doors making sure no one had followed them.

"He is going die." The statement hung in the air, with another heavy silence.

Madame Giry turned to the pessimistic queen and saw Christine's back facing her looking out towards the grounds of the castle. "He was awaken this morning, right after you left. The king asked for you, Majesty." The other woman still did not answer. "Majesty?"

Madame noticed the shaking frame, and the silent sobs that were coming out of the woman's small body. Quietly she went over to her queen and touched her shoulder, Christine shifted her head so Madame Giry could see fully her tears and red eyes.

"I know this is not a bad thing." Madame Giry looked her over.

"Is he still up?" She asked her voice raw from the fresh tears.

"Yes," Nodding she continued. "But he is weaker, than usual. Although he states that by tomorrow, he will be standing and walking around."

"May I see him?"

"You may." Those were the only words she needed, when she suddenly turned and ran towards her husband's quarters. She did not even bother to wait for the older woman, who was smiling in the room she had left her in. Christine entered the room, and tried very hard to not make any noise, in case he had fallen back asleep, just knowing that he would be better would be enough for her.

"You do not have to do that." A voice, that was horse called out to her.

"Erik!" Christine rushed over to him, wanting very badly to touch him, make sure that she was not dreaming. He was sitting up in bed, backed by pillows. "You are…"

"Going to be fine." His brow lifted, "The gracious Doctor Mitchell insist that I get at least another day's rest before I even try to get out of bed."

"You just woke up, of course you need rest." She cocked her head him.

"Have you been crying?" He questioned, she did not answer. "Whatever for?"

"Erik," Her tone was one that one would have used to explain to a child, slow and steady. "I thought you were going to die. Madame Giry interrupted me in the House and…."

"You were in the House?" Erik looked at her.

"Well," She was not sure if he was going to be angry or not. "Yes."

"I will guess the Lords did not take it well."

"Some did, some did not." Her shoulders moved.

"How…"

"Let us not speak of tedious state politics. You need to rest and not worry over things like that." She finally sat besides his torso on the bed, and reached out and touched his healthier looking cheek. "Is there anything I can get you?"

"You are enough." A small smile came to his face. "Unless…"

"No," She returned the smile, thankful. "I will not get you any reports."

"Then," He sighed. "How do you fair, my lady?"

"As well as I can." Her reply was honest, she could not hide her feelings from him, she knew better by now.

"You have been run ragged." Erik looked over her outwards appearance of being fine, but could tell she was tired. "It seems you also need much rest." He attempted to pull her down towards the bed to rest besides him.

"There is no resting for a queen." She smiled faintly, resisting his tug at her arm. "I am not allowed to rest."

"Then I command you to rest." He said seriously, beginning to worry that stress would once again take over. "I command that you think of nothing, for the while that you are in here."

"For once," Finally she lay down and enjoyed the heat that radiated off his body from the sheets as she lay next to him. "I will obey my king."

Erik smiled at this and stroked her hair gently, taking a curl and playing with then moving to the next. He closed his eyes in accepting the peacefulness that had finally come upon them. After knowing that she had fallen asleep, he caressed her cheek and then moved downward, until he moved to her breast and then to her stomach, enjoying her round, voluptuous body, that he had missed so dearly in the last few days of delirium.

He moved to embrace her fully and lay down beside her, his hand still resting on her stomach. Lazily he drew circles on her abdomen and when he pressed down, he noticed it was hardened. His brow furrowed, thinking that perhaps Christine had somehow found the time to get out and move about, but knowing that was impossible. She may have gotten thinner. Perhaps she was not eating, as she should, he felt panic rise in him.

What if she was not taking care of herself because of him? Well obviously, she was not taking care of herself because she was currently fast asleep and it was the middle of the day. He knew that Christine barely took naps during day hours. In addition, she had listened to a command of his. She did not take commands very easily as she did today, which caused him to worry over her laid back attitude.

Debating whether to wake her to discuss the issue, Erik heard the doors open and lifted his head to see Madame Giry and Dr. Mitchell walk into his room. He looked down at Christine and noticed she was still asleep, he wished to keep it that way. They did not have to discuss her habits at the present time.

"Sire." Dr. Mitchell said quietly, noting that his king probably wanted his wife to stay asleep. "The queen should not be in here, let alone sleeping in your bed!"

"She was tired and I am fine now." Erik answered in the same voice, calmly. "I am recovering and it will be a quick recovery. I see no danger in her being here."

"You could still carry the plague!" The doctor seemed slightly panicked. "That would be horrible for the health of…"

"The health of what doctor?" He questioned.

"The queen." He finished, so it was true, the queen had yet to tell her husband of the child. "I insist that she moves to her apartments."

"I do not think that harm could come to her, doctor, I have burned the plagued sheets." Madame Giry interrupted the rant between the two men. "Besides that would mean waking her and she has been through much and sleeping little."

"Has she been eating?" The doctor turned to Madame, and Erik perked up, also.

"Enough." She nodded, but then gave a look to the doctor. "But she needs to eat a better selection."

"Madame." Mitchell understood. "Perhaps you and I should talk about this somewhere…"

"What is wrong with her diet?" Erik did not want them going anywhere if they were discussing his wife. "Do the cooks not feed her well?"

"She needs to eat a little bit of a better selection." Madame Giry shrugged, "But I think we should just let the Majesties rest, doctor."

"Indeed." He nodded and they left.

Erik began to worry again, and he looked down at the seemingly serene face of his wife and noticed that their fingers had become intertwined that lay on her stomach and she was rubbing their thumbs on her abdomen.

--------

Christine opened her eyes and noticed that the sun was just setting over the horizon. She felt warm and extremely comfortable. A tired yawn erupted on to her face and she snuggled closer to the warm body next to her.

"You are up." Erik mumbled as he looked down at her, placing the papers on the nightstand.

"What time is it?" She questioned, meeting his gaze.

"Around seven." He guessed. "Are you hungry?"

"Famished." Her eyes sparkled at the mention of food; she sat up and leaned her head against his shoulder. "Did I rest too long?"

"No," His arm went around her. "Just enough, five hours, I think."

"Five hours!" She sat up. "I slept the whole day! I should get up and not be…"

"You are allowed to be idle for a night." A small smirk appeared on his face.

"Erik." Her tongue wetted her dry lips. "I have to speak with the professors."

"They are probably at their houses right now," He shrugged, feeling in the playful mood. "Resting."

"No," She shook her head. "I doubt they are."

"Why?" Erik looked at her. "What is the matter?"

"Something is happening." Christine did not let her voice quaver. "Something dreadful."

"Dreadful?" His eyes narrowed. "How dreadful?"

"There are many who are planning a rebellion." She let it out. "They no longer support us and I cannot…"

"Who are these men?" He questioned.

"Lord Benedict and Davison." Her eyes pleaded with him, "We must do something, and fast. I need to speak with the professors to find a way to stop this from happening."

"Set spies on them."

"I cannot do that." A brow lifted. "I am a queen, no one will listen to my orders, even in the House they were reluctant to listen or comprehend."

"Bring them here." Erik nodded. "We will all speak together."

"They are not the problem, in fact they were one of the only ones that were willing to help!" She sighed. "Besides you are still weak, you should be resting more than I, and not looking at reports."

"We will meet with them tomorrow." He decided. "I will be fine tomorrow."

"But…"

"I _will_ be fine." He nodded.

"Erik…" She gave him a look.

"Christine." His lips touched her forehead. "Do not worry. Everything will be fine. We have time."

Sighing she gave in and they settled down for bedtime. Amazingly, she still felt tired, especially when she felt Erik slide her body against his.

"Erik…" She said softly, after sometime, hoping he was still awake.

"Yes?" His breath hot on her neck.

"I…I'm…"A pause, she still could not say it. "I love you."

--------

"Christine, I am fine!" Erik sat on the side of the bed as he watched her get herself ready for another day. "You are the one that needs to rest!" She faltered for a moment, did he know? "You have been working extremely hard lately and you have been under much stress!"

"You are recovering from the plague." Her mind repeated the phrase _do not yell at him, Christine._ "Everything is fine, and when you are better we shall speak of many things." She kissed him, quickly and headed for the door.

"Many things?" Erik called out after her, damning his weak voice. "What can I do that does not require much, because obviously you have something against…"

"Rest." She called back and with a sigh, turned to face him. "Look over reports from Liren, and I am expecting Jake to come, if you would not mind…"

"As long as the deed requires me to leave this room." He finally smirked a bit and stood.

"But," Her hand went up. "I want you to rest for a while, before. Besides I am not expecting Jake until mid-afternoon."

"Are you honestly going to be that long in the House?" He sat back down on the bed.

"We have many things to discuss." Christine shrugged.

"It seems that you have much to discuss." His brow lifted.

"I will see you when we meet with Jake."

"Is he bringing more reports?"

"Yes." She nodded, needing to leave she opened the door. "He wishes to speak about something else. I will be there." She left.

Erik sighed heavily, and hoisted himself back into the bed in a comfortable position. He was halfway dressed, with his pants and a clean shirt on, and had no intention of sleeping. In all honesty, he did feel a little weaker but he noticed that his leg had healed in miraculous time, in which he walked with only a small amount of a limp, without a cane.

Deciding that he was sick of his bed, Erik stood and walked over to the great window, in his room and looked out over the grounds. From here, he could see the gardens that Cecile had once played in and observed the tiny creatures living amongst the arrangement of flowers. Then the beach was farther out but still visible. He remembered the outing of the three of them. He remembered how Cecile would smile up at Christine with all the love, which she shared with him. He remembered how he missed her.

Erik knew that nothing would replace Cecile, and the ache would never go away but maybe it could lesson a bit. Within time, perhaps, he and Christine would have child or children, however many she pleased, but now it would probably be too hard on her. Christine had much to deal with at the moment; a child would most likely leave her in a mess.

Deciding he had enough rest, Erik left the room and went to the report room, which held some of the Liren papers and reports and where Christine would meet with the delegates from Liren. The room was plain enough and there were only a few papers lying about. He looked at them noticing nothing out of the normal. Everything seemed to be running smoothly, and in an upward progression. Then he looked at another report….

"Your Majesty." Lord Jake walked into the room and quickly shut the door behind him. "I must inform you about Borgia, we finally…"

"Lord Jake." Erik acknowledged the man without even looking up, still engrossed in the document in front of his face. "Your daughter…"

"Sire?" He asked. "Which one?"

"Amilia." Erik finally looked up at him. "You said there was no child?"

"She had children but none lived, sire."

"Did any of them live to the full three trimesters?"

"The first one did." Jake nodded, feeling very confused as to why the king was asking him this, and feeling anxious as to what he had to tell him and the queen. "It was born as any normal child, but then died."

"Was there a burial?" The king stood urgently.

"No." Furrowing his brow, why did the king need to know this?

"What was the sex of the child?" His questions were coming quick and fast, he knew but this had to be said and he prayed he was wrong in his thoughts.

"A girl." He shrugged. "She had her mother's eyes, a honey golden brown, but she was tan." A small smile lit his face. "She must have gotten that from myself."

"Did they name her?" His heart raced.

"Amilia did," Jake nodded and his smiled faded. "And I do not know of Borgia."

"What was the name?" Erik's stomach leapt to his throat, this was not what he needed right after he recovered.

"Arabella, Majesty." A spell fell over the king as he contemplated this thought. "Majesty." Lord Jake called to his king, hoping to pull him out of his trance. "Majesty!" When Erik finally looked at him, he asked. "Are you alright?"

"Lord Jake." Erik straightened. "Did Borgia, go on a trip anywhere after the death of the child?"

"He came here." He came out of his confused stated and became aggressive. "Majesty, I must inform you about Borgia, it was my reason for coming here!"

"What about Borgia?" Erik asked, steadily. He was numb now, after reading the report, well more like a note, he knew something was wrong in the kingdom. More importantly, something was wrong in his castle. Now he was worried about letting Christine go into the House.

"We found him." Jake answered, gravely. "Majesty, Borgia is in Borswan."

"Thank you, Lord Jake." Erik looked at him a smile that was meant to be for a laugh. "But I already knew that."


	34. Beauty

"How do you…" Jake started, but the king quickly cut him off.

"Lord Jake," He did not have time to discuss, "I need you to go as quickly as you can to Liren."

"Sire?" The man stood helplessly as he watched his king begin to write down orders.

"When you get there." Erik's actions were hurried when he handed the letter to Jake. "Give this to Lady Beatrice, tell her…"

"Forgive me, Majesty for interrupting." Lord Jake knew that his king was kind and gentle but also knew that in this moment he could just as easily cut off his head. "Lady Beatrice is starting towards Borswan as we speak."

Erik stood there for a moment, fully comprehending the sentence. With a nod, he ignored his tired body and quickly walked out of the room. He was heading towards the House of Nobles.

By the time that Lady Beatrice would have the troops here to save the country, it would be too late. There would be nothing left to save, except perhaps take Borswan out of Benedict's hands. He knew that the majority of the troops were still in Liren, calming any after effects of the war.

His mind raced with images of Christine lying on the ground, the men cruelly surrounding her, giving her no mercy. Lord Benedict would be controlling the whole scene, and would murder her. The same man that tried to take over Liren, and Erik was beginning to worry that this time he would not fail.

There were not any guards as the king stood outside the house and his fear grew. Throwing the doors open he went inside, the space was darkened than its normal state, and only the light from the doors that he opened did not give off enough light in the large space. Stepping in, the doors slammed behind him and the lights became lit.

The king's jaw clenched as he saw the scene in front of him, and only uttered one word.

"Christine."

_---___--__--_-___-_

_My Darling Daughter Arabella,_

_It is now time for us to strike. The King no longer holds you in his regards and only looks towards that whore. You must not give up hope, my child, he will soon see things our way. Once that girl is out of our way we will be able to control this Kingdom, as we did not so long ago. _

_Your beauty and wits will surely win the people over more so than that outspoken nymph. When I send Ralph to fetch you, we will have the princess. The King will see, soon enough, that her ways are insignificant and ineffective. Both Liren and Borswan will be ours, then. _

_My darling, your mother Amilia, would be so proud of what you are doing for the Kingdom that she was born in. She always spoke of how she wanted to be queen of Liren, and how all the jewels and wealth that the Kingdom produced would make her even more beautiful. You are now that product of beauty. You will be the queen she always desired to be and of two Kingdoms. She would love you._

_Your Father,_

_Benedict_

-_____-----_______--__-_------__

_**Well it's been awhile. First off let me say that I am terribly sorry for keeping this story from you for almost 2 years. I can't really give you any good reasons except for that I was actually done with this story but my last computer decided to break completely so I couldn't retract any of the files from it. And in an "artistic" tantrum I decided to completely ignore fanfiction for more than a year. **_

_**I realize that you guys probably wanted a chapter longer and more in depth but I wanted to get this out as soon as I could. Plus I wanted to explain that the reviewers that have been reviewing were the reason I wanted to start this up again and finish this story, which I have every intent on doing. **_

_**I want to thank you all for keep up with this story and I hope that you will enjoy the last moments of it! Please review and let me know how you like it for the future.**_

_**EV**_


	35. Time Lost

It was dark. That was what Christine would remember from that hour, it was dark and someone was calling her name out repeatedly. There was some noise, but she would not fully comprehend what was going on around her. After a few more moments of the wrestling going on about her, she would slip back into unconsciousness.

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"Well, well, well." Benedict smirked at the king, who was standing and staring in disbelief at the scene in front of him. "Your Majesty, you decided to join us after all."

"Get your mens' hands off the queen." Erik's guttural voice came deep from within. He wanted to move forward but was afraid that the men holding the queen would do something he feared worse than his own death.

Christine sat limply tied to the throne that had served as his own seat. Her chin rested on her chest, hanging to the right side, and he was able to see that bruise had begun to form on the left cheekbone. His blood boiled, knowing that the men on either side of her were responsible for this.

"I'm afraid that's not possible." Benedict feigned a sigh. "You see that would…"

"I order you to let her go." His demurer was a controlled calm that was too controlled, too precise, while inside his head was reeling.

"His Majesty should let me finish."

"Lord Benedict," He clenched his jaw, "If you do not let her go…"

"You'll do what?" A brow was raised lazily. "Banish me? Torture me? You see, your Majesty, in order to do that you must be a king and in order to be a king you must not be dead. We are going to have a problem before the day is out with that kind of thinking."

"You will fail."

"Wrong." He shrugged. Beckoning the soldiers that were hidden in the shadows of the House. Erik assessed the people that were beginning to surround him.

"How can I be wrong when you feel a need to have more than twenty men try to subdue me?" The King questioned.

"Safety precautions, I assure you." Benedict snapped his fingers and the men began to ascend towards the awaiting king.

Erik noticed the first of the brave men to come towards him, from the left, so he easily knocked him to the ground with a punch. Another came swinging from the right, but Erik blocked it and elbowed him in the face, sending another downward. The rest were starting to circle him and he saw that they were also curious as to how to approach the man that they regarded as their sovereign.

A tall, stupidly, brave one ran at him full force and standing for a moment in the same spot, Erik easily stepped out of his way as the man toppled into another. They stood, rooted to their spots, waiting for another to be equally as stupid and brave, but none moved.

"Get him!" Benedict called.

They all moved in at once, throwing punches and kicking any part of the large man they could. Erik blocked many of the skilled attacks, but received just as many. He looked up to make sure that Christine was still staying limp, but saw some slight movement from her.

"Christine!" Erik yelled, hoping that she could hear him. "Christine!"

A punch land in his abdomen, and it shut him up, doubling over. A kick to his leg, made him drop to his knees. A shove from behind and he was sprawled on the ground gasping her name. Arms secured his own and his legs. He was trapped.

"Christine!" He shouted, recovering from the blow to his stomach. Looking up he saw her eyes open momentarily. "Christine!" They closed. "Christine!"

"Christine!" Benedict shouted, sauntering over to him. "Do you really think that is going to help?"

"Do you think that killing me will improve this kingdom?" Erik spat out.

"I think it's a start." He kneeled to obverse the man more. "You are nothing more than a coward, hiding behind a mask and a woman."

"At least I'm not hiding behind a fake name and a lost cause." A blow to his already woozy head.

"A name is nothing." Benedict stated. "A name is only a name. A person's name does not dictate who they are, it is only something they are associated with."

"She should have killed you."

"She is a woman," He chuckled. "She was too weak to kill me, and now she is paying for that weakness."

"If she were weak she would be dead by now." Erik growled.

"Oh she will be, my lord." His voice came right next to Erik's ear, "Have no fear, before you die you will see your lady's throat sliced."

Erik's mind blurred after another blow to his head, and finally he seeped into an unconscious state. Benedict looked around at the men before him.

"Place him in the chair next to her." He ordered. The men did as they were told. "Now get out and guard the front."

As the men left, Benedict looked around the room, noticing the few that stood with him. He looked back at the two people he had thought had more authority than he did and one attempted to kill him, ruin him at one point. Now, that woman sat, her head rolled to the side. The man sat, similarly to her but had more of a strange and abrasive precedent.

"Father." A voice brought him back to where he was.

"I want all of you to leave." He told the nobles that had sat on his side. "Get your armies ready."

They did as they were told, leaving the father and daughter behind. Benedict looked at his daughter as she approached him, a concerned look on her face. He touched the side of her cheek.

"You are more beautiful than your mother." Benedict gently reminded his daughter.

"Did mother truly want this?" Arabella asked, for once beginning to feel doubt of this whole plan.

"Of course she did, darling." He smirked, "She died for it."

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"Lord Jake!" Madame Giry ran to the stables, seeing the man already lifting himself on the horse.

"Madame, I'm sorry I need to…"

"Borgia has them." She lowered her voice, and begged him to lean closer.

"Liren already…" Lord Jake lowered his voice also and moved so they could speak without being overheard.

"They'll be too late." Waving the idea away. "There is a man called the Foreigner. He should be on the pass here. You need to let him know that his armies need to quicken their pace."

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_**Yey! It hasn't been two years! But alas it has been two weeks…. Pardon the horrible spelling and grammatical errors; I haven't had anyone check my work in three years. But I loved getting reviews again, so please keep them coming and let me know how you think the story is going! Please and thank you!**_

_**EV**_


	36. The Offer

Christine head felt so heavy, her limps, her body, slumped in a chair. She was unaware of her surroundings, but she kept hearing distinct voices, and only clips of what they were saying. Nothing was definite in her head at the moment, not even her own thoughts. Words traveled through her mind but nothing that came out was prominent enough for her to recover from this weight.

"We…but…father…" Christine caught only those three words, fading for a moment, but the word father had struck her.

Who would call someone 'father'? Cecile was dead, there was no longer a… Erik… Where was he?

Her eyes struggled to pry themselves open and she peeped into the space before her. Christine saw through her lashes, a blurred figure of a man and woman. The man held the woman for a moment, at an arm's length, and then briskly gave her a kiss and walked away. Trying to lift her head to see where he was headed exactly, too blurred, she rolled her head to the right side. The sight was worst than she had anticipated.

"Erik." Christine's voice was low and horse even to her own ears.

"Ah, princess." The bitter-sweet voice of the woman caused her to look towards where she heard it come from and saw the woman saunter over to her. "So glad you could join us."

She wanted to speak, but found the task almost impossible, but the sight before her had clearly come into focus and she saw the terrible beauty that was Arabella.

"What?" Her snide voice was causing Christine to tear this woman apart. "For once is our princess speechless?"

"Borgia." Christine growled.

"You know, I'm actually surprised you never recognized him." Arabella chuckled. "I thought that he would be eternally in your head after what you did to him."

"I did nothing he didn't deserve." Licking her lips she felt blood seep through the small crack that was there. "In fact he deserved death."

A hand hitting the skin of a queen resounded throughout the room. Christine knew that the more abundant blood that was making its way into her mouth was because another cut had been made.

"I suppose you think you will be the new princess." Christine glared at Arabella's good posture and unstained clothing.

"Well since the brat is dead and the queen is about to go six feet under, I guess I may become queen instead." Christine was not sure if she could hate Arabella more than in this moment. "That's of course if Erik will take me."

"That's highly unlikely." A brow raised.

"He doesn't have a choice, princess." The smirk that drew Arabella's lips upward made Christine's body tighten. Arabella noticed and the smirk grew. "Don't fret we may give him a choice."

"A choice?"

"Between you and I, of course." She shrugged. "We may let you live, or more likely wander the world, if he agrees to come quietly. If he refuses you will die." Perhaps she could… "Oh and fear not, princess, we will keep tabs on you."

Christine froze. She did not want to condemn Erik to a half-life. It would be completely cliché to think that life should not be like this, but Christine could not help herself. She thought that this rebellion would go under or would have taken more time and perhaps there would be a moment of peace that she and Erik could have. There were so many things that they needed to talk about, so many things that they still needed to find about the other, so many life rises and pitfalls that awaited them. They sill needed to have all those things.

"My father…"

"Benedict is your father." Christine mumbled. "Borgia is your father." A spark. "Amilia is your mother. Lord Jake is…"

"You could not possibly know my mother." Arabella stopped her before she could continue with her thought process. "And do not think…"

"I would not claim to know your mother." Her voice was calm. "Amilia died before I ever got a chance to know her, besides from what I hear your father kept her locked up, tightly."

"Do not take rumors as truth, princess."

"It is not just a rumor." Christine knew she treaded on dangerous territory but continued. "I know your grandfather, he is…"

"I swear…"

"His name is Lord Jake, he is very loyal to the crown and is Amilia's father."

"What game are you playing?" Arabella's being began to shake. Everyone she had known to be family was her father.

"I play no games, Arabella." Her eyes yearned for the woman in front of her to listen to her. "Your father ruined your mother's life…"

"Stop it."

"He shoved her…"

"Stop."

"He locked her up…

"Princess…"

"He killed her."

A sound of a small dagger rang in Christine's ear. She stared at Arabella, who was breathing heavily glaring back at her. Arabella's hand had a small trickle of blood from throwing the dagger. Christine's breaths came out in short rasps, as she looked to the side of her and saw the dagger sticking out of the tall wooden chair right next to her head. No damage had been done, only Arabella's patience had snapped.

"I am not telling you any lies, Arabella." Christine began again, wanting to reach this woman. "Your mother died by your father's hand. Your grandfather knows nothing about you and he is the kindest man. He loves you, I know it."

"You know nothing!" Arabella backhanded the queen and again. Then, eyed her stomach and as she went for the strike there was a shout that made her stop.

"Wait!" Christine yelled. "Please, Arabella, you may hit me anywhere else you wish, but not there." Arabella eyed the spot she would have hit, Christine noticed. "Please I beg of you, anywhere but that spot."

A pause happened between the two women. Blood had stained a bit on Arabella's dress, only a couple dots. But the queen, the woman that continued to fight for her country, blood was now dripping down her usually pristine jaw. Bruises formed on her face. Her left eye was beginning to swell. Arabella eyed the powerful woman, who more looked like a street walker now. What secret was this woman hiding? After another moment of contemplation she understood.

"You're with child."

The two women looked at the other again. Neither could gauge the other's view. Christine prayed that Arabella would take some sort of sympathy. She would understand, somehow, that this was more about keeping the child alive than anything. However, with the stress and the trauma that Christine was currently and had been dealing with she was very unsure of the child's health and she knew that Arabella would be fully aware of that sooner or later. Now, Arabella was still processing the news.

"Christine." A whisper from the right, made Christine look at her husband who seemed fully awake and shocked. Another emotion came over him. "How long have you known?"

"I knew in Liren." She told him quietly. "How are…"

"Why did not you not say anything?"

"I was unsure…"

"How could you be unsure?" Erik seemed very taken aback. "This is amazing."

"But Cecile?"

"I would have rejoiced still."

The removal of the dagger from Christine's side made them both silent. Arabella stood menacingly over Christine, dagger poised.

"Arabella, I am begging you." Christine's heart raced. "Please do not do this."

"The child would be a nuisance to us." She shrugged.

"I order you to not kill them." Erik growled.

"Why?" Arabella questioned. "So you can choose them to live and the child will take over after my father dies?"

"What?"

"Ah yes." Arabella smiled, slowly. "My dear king, there was going to be a choice to be made between you giving up the princess and marrying me, putting my father in power and letting the princess go and explore new lands, cutting out all communication with you. Of course, we would make sure she wouldn't be planning anything or going behind our backs, otherwise she would die. Or the other choice would be to skip the whole waiting period and just killing her, as you resume the throne abiding to our rules and ridding of the princess's ideals. Oh, did I mention taking over Liren."

"Let her live." Erik said.

"I knew you would say that." She sighed. "My father can be quite dull sometimes. However, I feel with this new addition, he may feel a bit differently."

"The children that you have will have the rights." Erik negotiated, and Christine looked at him. "Although I do not know who will be the father."

"You, silly."

"That would mean I would have to touch you." A look of distaste came upon his face. "Quite frankly the very thought of touching you and even looking at you presently utterly disgusts me now."

"I'm sure you would get over that." She shrugged. "Men have needs and you seemed to fill them quite well before the princess arrived."

"At that time, you were just means to an end." His crude statement, made Christine smile at the personal victory on the inside, but Arabella became furious.

"Fine." Taking the dagger to Christine's neck, Erik felt fear rise up in him, which was very unneeded right now because he was still woozy from the news and waking up.

"Arabella, stop." Erik told her firmly. "This is not a game any more."

"This was never a game Erik." She informed him. "In fact, my father put me in the position I was at to get close to you so he would have the upper hand against all the other lords. I was nothing more than a tool for him to use and I fear I was the right tool for _your ends_. Now, we just want our power back, quite frankly and she is just messing with it. Besides the child won't do us any good."

"Let her live." He said. Christine watched as he shifted in his chair, she had never seen him so anxious that he fretted so much in his chair.

"Aren't you going to at least offer me something?" Arabella questioned. "Jewels, a dog, a country, something?"

"Your grandfather would not approve of this." Christine said quietly.

"Shut up, you." The dagger came closer to her neck. "Now, your Majesty, tell me what is it you have to offer?"

Without saying anything, Erik stood up and yanked Arabella away from Christine, causing the dagger to drop beside Christine. Christine only felt a scratch of the dagger, but was shocked that Erik had managed to get out of his restraints. He stood, holding the woman that he had once used for his own pleasure and she had used him just as equally for hers but had convinced herself she cared something for him because he was king and it was convenient enough.

"You will not kill the queen, understood?" He felt her hands grasp at his that held her neck. "You will leave and never return again. In all preference you will kill yourself so that I know I will never have to look at you again and if I do I will happily do the job."

A great commotion came from outside the door and before anyone could move, knights came pouring into the room. These were not rebellion knights, everyone noticed as they lined up on either side of the room, letting the one man that had led them back to their home came striding into the great room.

"I knew you would need my help one day, Majesty." The foreigner smiled as he approached the king.

"My friend," Erik carelessly dropped Arabella and shook the man's hand, "Nadir, you always have impeccable timing."

"I do my best." He smiled and bowed at Christine, as Erik hurried over and undid her bounds. "Your Majesty, fear not your wounds will heal with time."

"Wounds and scars do not frighten me." She gave Erik a sharp look as he checked her over, helping her stand up. "I fear to ask what has become of the rebellion and of Benedict."

"There are a few brawls left, but all the main heads are captured, save for one." He nodded, and motioned for a few knights to bind the struggling Arabella. "And Liren arrived very quickly, considering how far their post was, defeating the majority of rebellion."

"The one?" Christine knew, but needed to hear it.

"Lord Benedict, Your Majesty."

* * *

**Yes, I am a horrible updater. It is this thing called life that keeps me from my computer. However, I was reminiscing a bit and remembered that I had to finish this story. I promise you it is ALMOST done, in fact I think next chapter will be the last and final chapter of this story. Honestly, it is a bit sad because I have come back to these characters so many times and have seen so many styles of my writing with this story that I am reluctant to let it go. But most importantly, I will finish this because of you all that are rooting for me both privately and by reviews. You, my readers, are the main reason I am going to finish. I am sorry that this chapter and a few of the earlier ones may not be up to par with the rest of it and sorrier for the fact it took me this long! The final one should go up sometime next week, and that is a promise I will not break!**

**EV**


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